


As Dawn Broke

by dixiemame33



Category: Disney Cartoons (Classic)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-24
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-07-18 00:34:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 111,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7292440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dixiemame33/pseuds/dixiemame33
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Here it is, a story I've been wanting to work on for years - Sun/Moon! Though I thought giving the title "The Sun and the Moon" would be a bit silly, so I opted for something a little dramatic. But still kinda silly.</p><p>The King and Queen are original characters. There will be one more OC, dear ol' Millicent, who you'll see later. Also, for a bit of fun, when I envision the Sun Kingdom, I hear the song Like an Eagle from the musical Bombay Dreams.</p><p>Big Thanks to:</p><p>Ames, who helped me create this world and its traditions.</p><p>Widdlez, who helped come up with outfit designs along with additional concepts.</p><p>Elera and Lies for their support and friendship.</p><p>Drucilla and BlueShifted for editing and teaching me new writing tips.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms – the Kingdom of the Sun, and the Kingdom of the Moon, each named for the celestial divinity they once worshiped. They lived side by side for many years, and during all that time they were at war. Some say it started because of the belief that the Sun or the Moon was better than the other. Others speculate each kingdom loathed to see anyone different exist. There must have been a reason for the war to begin, but as so much time passed, people forgot what it was. It came to be that the people of the Sun and the Moon hated each other simply because that was what you were supposed to do._

_It is possible this war could have gone on until there were no people left. But on one particularly bloody day of battle, a great spirit rose above them. The people of the Sun thought it was their god, the Phoenix. The people of the Moon thought it was their god, the Rabbit. The all-mighty spirit spoke to everyone._

_“I have grown sick of your war,” it said. “You fight in my name, yet never have I asked you to lift your weapons. From this day forward, you will never fight each other again.” it raised its arms, and summoned a gigantic forest, forcibly separating the two kingdoms. Then it waved to the kingdoms and bestowed a special gift to both. “And here I shall make you a promise. I will give you these talismans of ultimate power. Use them wisely to rule your lands. But should you ever use these talismans to cause harm to one another...I shall return, and all of those hearts filled with hate shall be destroyed.”_

_With his promise echoing in their ears, the people watched the mighty spirit vanish. The kingdoms were in awe, yet also frightened of what they had witnessed. They retreated to their lands, and hastily decided they would do all in their power to prevent another war. So it was that each territory was declared forbidden to the other. Even today, one soul touching the land that does not belong to him could be the start of another battle..._

“... of course, should such another battle happen, we would be well prepared.” The young man thought this was obvious, but he was a teacher. It was his duty to explain absolutely everything. So he arched his back and picked up a worn down piece of chalk, talking as he began to draw on the large stone display. “As you know, those of the Sun Kingdom have a natural affinity with fire. With time, patience, and precision, we can control fire with our bodies. Those who have been taught and mastered the ways of fire are given this symbol.” Here he paused, squinting at the design outlined in white, not entirely sure he'd gotten it down perfectly. “...Goofy, turn around and let me see your back.”

“Huh?” The bodyguard was seated on the floor, spear propped up against a chair, and clearly hadn’t paid attention to a thing the tutor said. Like most males of the Sun, his attire consisted of only his orange pants and loose sandals hanging off his big feet. As a result, it was easy to see the reason he'd been so distracted – several large fruits half-eaten in his hands, dripping their juices onto the floor. It took him a good, long moment to realize he'd been caught, and when it finally clicked, he sheepishly tried to hide the remains behind his back. “Uh... what can I do for ya, Horace?”

Horace Horsecollar let out a long, familiar groan. Normally he prided himself on his appearance, but for now he didn't care that white chalk dust had started to gather on his red robes – unlike Goofy, he had an official uniform, though 'uniform' was a stretch of the word. All tutors of Sun royalty wore rich red robes that looped over one shoulder, with loosely stitched images of scrolls and old fashioned letters. When Horace finished rubbing his face in agitation, he turned to the real culprit. “Your highness, how many times have I told you not to bring food to your lessons?”

 

Prince Michael Mouse was sitting on the rickety wooden chair that was far taller than he was, cheerfully chowing down on a ripe melon, his orange fur getting sticky. Unlike Goofy, he took no shame in his actions, loudly licking his lips. “I dunno,” he finally replied, rubbing his wet mouth on the sleeve of his open citrus tunic. As a royal, Michael had the choice of wearing whatever he pleased. Often that matched with what the commoners wore, the same baggy pants and sandals as Goofy. His only stretch of creativity was a tunic that he had long since grown out of, showing off his fit chest and his small belly. “A million? A billion?” The prince paused, then turned to his canine companion. “Say, which is bigger? A million or a billion?”

Goofy gave this some genuine thought, but shrugged his shoulders soon after. “Gee, I dunno either, Mickey. Horace, which is bigger?”

Horace irritability snatched the melon from Mickey's fingers. “And I've told you not to call him that! What is the point of talking to either of you when you don't listen!”

Personally, Mickey preferred the nickname. With an mischievous grin, he held up his hand. “Does that mean you won't gimmie any more lessons?”

Horace dropped the melon onto the floor, and then wiped what little mess he had made on his attire. “What kind of ruler do you expect to be if you don't learn your history? It is my job to turn you into a man as great as King Solaris, and I will make that happen, no matter how many miracles I need. And today, you will not be running away!” With a triumphant expression, he pointed towards the once open windows on the opposite end of the room.

The Sun kingdom's buildings were made of clay and other materials of the land, giving them a dry brown color. Glass was seen as a wasteful object and so the windows of the buildings were merely large open holes in the walls. The room Horace used for teaching had two such windows, but today they had been blocked by several planks of wood that had been sealed into the walls. Mickey could not even count how many planks had been used, as they lapped over one another. It explained why the once source of light in the room was a vibrant torch stuck in two corners of the room.

“I had help from the army.” Horace smugly explained, crossing his arms as he recounted his brilliance. “They spent all night working on the windows to make them tight and secure. Not even Goofy can break them!”

Mickey whistled, rather impressed. “It sure does look pretty sturdy.” Yet he did not sound disappointed. “You must've spent a lot of time tryin' to think of ways to stop me from runnin' out.” When Horace's back was turned, he lightly tapped Goofy's shoulder, whispering a quick order under his long flappy ears.

“I spent a whole week on this idea.” Horace replied, now taking his time to literally draw out his thinking process. “It's well of you to notice, your highness. You see, first I thought of plugging something into the windows, but then I wondered if it could just be pulled out. Then I had to factor the sturdiness of the walls, the material it was made with, the time it needed, Goofy's weight and muscle mass...”

“Bet you never took in the entrance.”

Horace blinked, startled by the interruption. “The entrance? Of course, I can't block the entrance, how else would we enter and leave – DON'T YOU DARE!”

It was too late. Mickey and Goofy had already ran for the open entrance – like glass, doors were seen as a waste of time, so only long thin curtains hung from open sections of the walls. Horace attempted to give chase, but tripped over the fruit Goofy had quietly tossed in front of his feet. By the time the tutor got up and squeezed the juice out of his robes, the duo was long gone.

Within minutes, the prince and his bodyguard were outside the palace and into the heart of the Sun Kingdom. Though Mickey was laughing uproariously, none of the villagers paid this noise any mind. The merchants selling their wares and the children playing in the streets had become accustomed to Mickey's escapes. Most merely gave him a passing wave or a respectful nod of the head before returning to their ordinary lives.

“I can't believe Horace thought he could pull one over on me!” Mickey hooted, strolling down a dusty pathway. “He should be the one takin' lessons! And lesson number one is that you can't cage me!”

“That was real clever of you, Mickey.” Goofy walked by Mickey's side, the spear now gently held in his stained fingers. “But...I thought you brought the food 'cause we were gunna stay in for the lessons t'day.”

“...well. we were,” Mickey drew in a quick breath through his nostrils, picking up the pace as they turned a corner. Though anyways most people didn't pay attention, today he was making special effort to become unnoticed. He lowered his voice, didn't meet anyone's eyes, and guided his feet so he never had to walk around or in front of his people. “...but last night, before I went to bed, I looked out over the kingdom. And I saw a big wagon headin' towards the scroll shop. I think my special package might be there today.” Then, unable to help himself, he added, “But I kept the food so we could still pull one on Horace.”

Goofy scratched the top of his head, momentarily confused as to why this would be so important. It wasn't until his eyes met the sky that the answer became obvious. “Oooh! Ya mean those super special paintings you ordered from-”

“SHUSHSHUSHSHUSH!” The prince whipped around, hopping up so he could yank down on his bodyguard's ears, bringing him down to eye level. “It's a secret, do you remember that too?”

“Whoops! Sorry.”

Mickey rolled his eyes and released his hold on Goofy. He decided for the sake of secrets staying secrets that another word would not be passed between them until they arrived at their destination. The scroll shop had seen better days, but in this modern world, many were no longer interested in reading. Better stories could be told from mouths and movements. The once grand building was now lopsided in age, and only one man could be spotted inside. He was old, with a curve to his spine and his beard as crinkly as the scrolls he no longer sold. He didn't look surprised to see these particular customers entering his shop. The only ones who ever came to him anymore were the prince and his guard.

The shopkeeper lowered his head in respect. “May the Phoenix bless you always, your Highness. Seeing you both keeps me young.”

Mickey checked and double-checked that no one had followed him here. Once he was assured they were all alone, he stuck a hand into his tunic and pulled out a cloth satchel that jingled with coins. “I, uh, don't suppose I'm too early?” His once proud voice was now a tight-held plea, hoping beyond hope that he had been right.

The old man chuckled softly, turning towards the back stairs. “Perhaps you have the gift of foresight, good prince. Yes, your... unusual request is here. They're all downstairs-”

He wasn't given an opportunity to finish, before Mickey thrust the satchel into the old man's hand and began to race down the stairs. Goofy blinked twice before slowly following along, clicking his tongue to his teeth. The shopkeeper came as well, dragging his cane along every step. “You have known him since his birth, Goofy. Do you understand this obsession he has?”

“Can't say I do.” Goofy replied simply with a shrug of one shoulder. “He's been like this long as I've known him. Most nights he stays up late starin' at the moon. Doesn't make a peep neither.”

Down below, three long, wrapped up scrolls waited on a bare table. The only light in the barren room was a single dying torch held fast to the wall. Mickey slowed as he approached the table, and as he came to the first scroll, his touch became meticulous and gentle, as if the paper would turn to dust should he make the wrong move. He took his time to unwrap the scroll, and he spread it across the table.

“I remember when he first came to me with this order.” The old man said, needing Goofy's assistance to get down the last two steps. “Yes, two years ago, I believe it was. He wanted to know what the Princess of the Moon looked like.” He glanced at Goofy, wondering if he understood any of it at all. “I do get the occasional request like this...curious youngsters who don't know any better, and want to learn about the Moon Kingdom...and it is true, that the last we knew of the Moons, they did have a princess.”

Goofy merely nodded along, unsure of what to add. Mickey had not made a sound, save for his hand delicately trailing along the paper's design. It was true that the last contact anyone had with the Moon Kingdom was during the final battle of the Great War, which was eighteen years ago. It had been noted that the Queen of the Moon was there, her belly full with child. Her husband has been slain in battle, so she was there in his place. Those who had been on the battlefield said she resembled the moon, and no doubt her future child would as well. 

Thus what Mickey had before him were the interpretations of what such a young girl would look like. Several secret artists had been paid to give their ideas of what a woman who resembled the moon would look like. One such sketch took her as a crater of the moon, with dark skin and wide features, able to swallow you whole with one look. Another played with the waning and waxing of the moon, suggesting she could be either thin or whole depending on what angle you looked at. She could be tall, she could be short, she could have muscles or be dainty as the wind, she could hide behind mountains of hair or have a face that stuck out like a sore thumb. No one was quite sure. But then, no one cared like Mickey did.

“He did try to explain it to me, once.” Goofy offered, taking a seat on the last step. “He said the moon was real beautiful. That since you could see it even when the sun was out, it was like you were never alone.” He shrugged again.

The elder clicked his tongue. “He should be mindful of who he says that to. Many would see it as sacrilege.”

Mickey wasn't listening to their conversation, yet he wished he could explain it himself. He did not have the words to express his feelings. The Sun Kingdom was full of hot colors, always alive and always noisy and always on edge. But the moon was quiet and peaceful. The soft gray always put him at ease. One could not look at the Sun without damaging their eyes, but you were always welcome to gaze upon the Moon. It was a welcome jewel in the sky.

Was the Moon Princess the same way? Was she someone you could relax with, a precious bauble that welcomed you with open arms? He longed to know. He didn't know why others did not share this same passion. So Mickey was content to stay, memorizing the girl who was so far away. Perhaps he could have been lost there for hours.

“YOUR HIGHNESS, WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, I WILL DANCE IN YOUR ASHES!”

“Aw, nuts,” Mickey huffed, recognizing Horace's threatening scream. “That guy's gettin' wise to me.” He quickly rolled up the first scroll and then grabbed all three. “C'mon, Goofy, maybe we can make it to Panchito's bar.”

Goofy stood to attention and the old man simply stepped aside to let Mickey jog past. “I'll see you again in two weeks time, no doubt.” He chuckled, more than used to these antics. Goofy nodded politely once before joining his superior.

They made it back to the streets, where Horace was yelling similarly murderous intentions into every building, in case Mickey and Goofy were hiding there. The villagers waved him on and even the napping babes were no longer distressed by these interruptions. As far as all were concerned, this was a normal day. Horace spotted the two escapees out of the corner of his eye, and the chase began anew. “Get back here this instant! I will not have the next ruler of the kingdom be a simpleton!”

“Don't you worry about that!” Mickey quipped, ducking and weaving around stalls and farm animals. “When I become king, there'll be no more lessons, which means no more tutors, which means no more you! No one sayin' 'do this'!”

“Now when I said that-”

“No one sayin' 'be there'!”

“What I meant was-”

“No one sayin' 'stop that!'”

“What you don't realize-”

“No one sayin' 'see here'!”

“NOW SEE HERE!”

Around and around the trio went, blazing past the very bar Mickey had wanted to visit, where an amused rooster strummed his guitar – circling the impressively large statue that depicted Mickey's long-passed mother in her glorious days – but it was when they tried to grab a gyro on the go that the marathon would end for the day. In his haste to snag a free bite to eat, Mickey's arms slipped and he dropped one of his precious artistic scrolls. He tripped over it, and Goofy tripped over him, making a small pile-up in the dirty road. When the duo sat up and recovered their wits, they looked up to see Horace glaring at them, sweat pouring down his face.

“You...” He growled, crossing his arms. “...will have to answer to your father.”

~*~

Princess Minerva of the Moon Kingdom had never passed out before. So she could not be sure if she was going to today, since she did'nt know the symptoms or warning signs. Yet she was fairly sure it must be something similar to what her body was going through right now. Her chest was tight, her throat was constricted, and her head felt dizzy. There were only so many things you could blame on a strict corset.

“Minerva, you will look at me when I am speaking to you.”

As always, Minerva obeyed her mother, though today it pained her to do so. Her neck ached as she tilted her chin up, looking upon her angry mother on the royal throne. Queen Lune was already an imposing figure, her body as thin as a stick but rigid as ice. The cowl of her dark blue dress spiked up around her neck, making her piercing gaze all the more painful. Her skin was stretched thin due to old age, showing where her blue veins twitched in fury. Not a single white hair was out of place in its meticulous bun standing on the back of her head. Even her voice was as frigid as subzero temperatures. “I cannot believe one of my own flesh and blood could do something so...utterly irresponsible. Do you have any idea what could have happened today?”

Minerva was unsure if the question was rhetorical or not, and so looked around the massive throne room for any assistance. It wasn't going to come from Queen Lune's royal adviser, Scrooge McDuck, who stood to the right of the throne, wearing a similar expression of anger and disappointment. It probably wasn't going to come from his nephew Donald Duck either, who was by his uncle's side. He looked less angry and more exhausted, as if this whole experience was taking ten years off of his life. Being Minnie's tutor and future adviser tended to make him feel this way. It certainly wasn't going to come from Pete Black, who was near the curtains and sweating profusely in terror. Since he was a castle guard, his lecture was most likely going to come next.

That left Daisy Canard, Minerva's lady-in-waiting, best friend, and at times, fellow troublemaker. She stood next to Minerva, and when she caught her friend's nervous look, she made a quick, airy gesture with an open palm – it wasn't as if the princess could get into more trouble, right?

“I...underestimated... the consequences of my actions.” the princess said slowly, articulating each word, trying to copy her mother's sophisticated speech. “But...what's done is done, and cannot be undone. And I promise that this will never happen again.”

“As of now your promises are worth less than mud.” Everyone visibly winced at the Queen's reply, with Minerva herself looking as though she'd been stabbed. “If there is any saving grace to be found, it is that you revealed the utter incompetence of our staff.”

Donald gulped audibly, Daisy huffed with a loud snort, but it was Pete who stormed forward to be seen. “Now hold on just a minute there, yer royal highness!” His body clanged and clamored, as he was dressed in thick navy armor from the neck down. “We all gotta obey you and the lady's orders, ain't that right? If you tell us to jump, we jump! So when the princess says she has to leave the castle for an emergency, I can't up and stop her! I was just doin' my job, and I think I did a pretty fine good one.”

Queen Lune narrowed her eyes, but it was Scrooge who asked the obvious. “And did you bother to ask what this 'emergency' of hers was?”

Pete needed a minute for what he thought was a good rebuttal. “I don't get paid to ask questions.”

“At this rate, you'll be lucky to be paid at all anymore,” Donald muttered under his breath. Daisy snickered, and Minerva's lips shook in an effort not to do the same.

The Queen rubbed her temples with one hand, wishing she could use both. But her right hand was forever and always attached to her staff that was as tall as she was. At the top of the staff sat the legendary Moon Talisman, decorated in mosaic tiles to resemble a peaceful rabbit. “Minerva. You are to stay in your room until after your birthday. You may only leave to attend your ballet lessons.” She waved her hand. “You are dismissed.”

Minerva curtsied, bowing her head. “Yes, mother.” A few loose strands of hair fell over her eyes, and she would not brush them away until she left the room with Daisy. Like all royal blood members of the Moon Kingdom, her hair was dazzling in both its sheer white color and its length needing to be wrapped up in dozens of hair pieces to not drag on the floor behind her. Long hair was seen as prime trait of beauty for the Moon, no matter how tricky and difficult it was to maintain for the woman growing it.

When the two girls were gone, Queen Lune visibly slid down her throne by an inch or two, feeling as if every bone in her body was aching. “Where did I go wrong?”

“Ah, it is no fault of yours, my lady.” Scrooge moved to close all the curtains. “She is at that age where she has to rebel at least once...though why she chose this idea, I'll never know.”

Pete stood absolutely still, not knowing if he was allowed to leave or not. Donald decided to use this opportunity to butter up his superiors. “Maybe it was my fault. We have just reached the history of the Great War, and perhaps I went into too much detail about the Sun Kingdom.”

Scrooge snorted. “Don't be foolish, nephew! She should be warned about those hot-headed harlots! You just wait, one of these days they'll lose their patience and come after us! Those barbarians don't understand the meaning of peace. Back in my day - ”

“Enough.” The Queen groaned, trying to lift herself off of her throne. “This isn't about the Sun people, this is about Minerva.”

Scrooge paused, and then approached the Queen with articulate steps. “...Perhaps it is time she found a good man, your highness. She will be eighteen on her birthday, a proper time for marriage. The right man could put a stop to this foolishness.”

Queen Lune tapped her staff in contemplation. “.You may be right. Still...eighteen...” She released a long, wistful sigh. “I feel as if it was only yesterday she was a child in her first ballet shoes. Time truly passes all too quickly.” She looked down at her weathered hands, remembering how smooth they once had been when she cradled her newborn babe in her arms. “All too quickly, all too quickly...” She said to herself, before shaking her head and resuming the role of leadership over motherhood. “Come, we will start looking into eligible nobles. We must make sure she marries into pure blood.” She walked into another hallway, the ducks loyally two steps behind her.

Pete still wasn't sure if he was allowed to move.

Off near the princess' bedroom, Minerva felt as if she was at last given permission to breathe normally. “Grounded...I can't believe that's all I got. I may be using up all the luck I have for life.” Her purple dress seemed to exhale with her, loosening though still covering all her fur and skin where it could. A proper lady did not let anyone see her body until marriage.

“I can't believe you did it in the first place!” Daisy squealed, clapping her hands enthusiastically. She tended to dress more scandalously, exposing hints of shoulders, or ankles, or wrists, depending on how she felt that day. “My little Minnie, running away from the castle! Sneaking through the kingdom! And even traveling all the way through the Forbidden Forest! If someone else had told me you'd done it, I'd have laughed in their faces!”

The princess rather adored Daisy's affectionate nickname for her, and often preferred it over her real name. It was one of the few choices she did have in life. “I wish you could have come with me, but it was already so risky, I didn't want to get you in trouble too.” She held her hands together in front of her dress, still practicing etiquette even when they were alone.

“So, what was it like?” Daisy edged in closer, wiggling her eyebrows. “The Sun Kingdom...did you see it?”

“Only a glimpse.” Minnie admitted, but she said this with a smile. “There was this...large stone arch, and it was painted in red symbols... That's when I dropped the letter and ran back. I wish I could have stayed longer. I wanted to get back before sunrise and everyone was awake.” She then gave a small shrug. “Though I don't think it would have mattered all that much... none of them would have noticed a plain little girl like me.”

Daisy gave her best friend's shoulders a hard shove. “Hey, I told you to stop talking like that! Why can't you put that bravery in your confidence? You are a beautiful, wonderful woman!”

“Oh, you're only saying that because I'm your princess.”

“You wouldn't have hired me if you thought that was true!”

Minnie chuckled, but Daisy's words rang true. “When I was sent out into the kingdom to find a proper lady-in-waiting, you were the only one who treated me like...like a normal person.”

“To be fair, I thought you were one.” Daisy grinned, nudging her friend. “I mean, no one outside the castle ever sees you, they probably have no idea what you look like. That's why I thought you were just another girl of the kingdom when you came to visit my family... but a very pretty, very kind one.”

“You're exaggerating.” They came to Minnie's lavishly decorated bedroom, and when she sat on the fluffy bed, Daisy took off her slippers one by one. “Do you think he'll come?”

Only this made Daisy hesitate. Usually when asked her opinion of things, Daisy was loud and proud, making up for Minne's shyness. This made her unattractive in the eyes of many, but she didn't care. She had two purposes in life – her own happiness, and the happiness of her princess. She raised her eyes carefully. “... I can't say for sure. No one really knows what the Prince of the Sun is like. If I may ask... why did you do this?”

“I...I guess...” Minnie cast her eyes away, afraid to be judged. “...if I'm to be Queen...I must be ready in case there's another war between our lands. So, I thought this might be a way to see if they're truly as bloodthirsty and dangerous as history says.”

“What a diplomatically boring answer.” Daisy quipped, taking off Minnie's long stockings.

“Royalty is supposed to be diplomatically boring.” Minnie was not often confident in her jokes, but when she was, they usually caused Daisy to shriek with laughter, as the duck did now.

When Daisy calmed down, she crawled onto the bed and began to undo all the complicated pins and other jewels that kept Minnie's hair in place. “Well, whatever your reasons, this is going to be a birthday that's for the history books. Maybe this time I can get Donald to dance with me!”

“That would also go into the history books.” Minnie smiled, and in retaliation Daisy threw a downy pillow at her head.

~*~

King Solaris lay in his bed, taking breaths in slow, hard turns. In his age, he no longer longed for exciting fashions, and often wrapped himself in old brown robes that covered his war scars and gray hairs. His wrinkled fingers crossed on his chest, rising and falling. Like all Sun bedrooms, his bed was built into the wall, out of stone. “My son...my dutiful child...my time is nigh.”

“A-huh.” Mickey had been stripped of his scrolls, but along the way to his father's chambers, he found a paddle-ball toy that had been tossed aside the day before.

“Before I pass this world...” The King heaved. “...I wish to see this kingdom ruled by a wise man...”

“Sure.” The prince was going for a new record. His last one was fifty-seven in a row.

“Can you give this dying man his due... and become a man I would be proud of...?”

“Okey-dokey.” Fifty-three, fifty-four, fifty-five, fifty-six...

“MY TIME IS NIGH, YOU LITTLE BRAT!” King Solaris abruptly sat up in bed, clutching his scratchy weathered sheets. “Is that how you treat your dying father?!” For a dying man he showed impressive strength in grabbing his son by the shoulders and shaking him in the air. “Why aren't you grieving?!”

“Maybe 'cause your time has been nigh for the past ten years, Pa.” Mickey resumed playing with his toy, making the red ball bounce against his father's forehead. “You're gunna outlive us all.”

Even Horace seemed to be worn out by this display, clearing his throat. “Sire, if you could not be 'dying' for a few moments...not only has your son skipped out on his lessons, again, but I caught him with this disgusting contraband!” He unfurled one of Mickey's secret scrolls, showing off a moon princess that was the color of ashen water.

“That's mine!” Mickey barked, his playtime immediately over. He dropped his toy, jumped out of his father's grasp, and made an attempt to seize back the portraits. “I paid good money for 'em! Give it back!” Yet leap as he might, Horace was much taller than him, and was able to dangle the scrolls out of Mickey's reach.

King Solaris squinted to see the pictures and then laid back in his bed. “You finally start showing interest in women, and it's a Moon? I'm never going to have grandchildren at this rate... Horace, Goofy, I command you both to start making babies at once. Someone has to give me grandchildren!”

Goofy tilted his head, stuck in a corner and already lost by the conversation. Though Horace had begun to blush, he pretended to ignore what had been implied. “Imagine if the people found out about this insult. We cannot let this pass! The Moons are our enemies!”

“The Moons ain't my enemies!” Mickey still kept jumping, despite how useless it was. “The Great War's got nothin' to do with me!”

“The Moons are born enemies of the Sun.” King Solaris grunted, failing to notice someone had opened the door. “Those snotty sycophants...they think they're so much better than us! All that water goes to their head, and drowns out their brains.”

Horace rolled up the scroll. “I couldn't agree with you more. I hear they have a horrible smell, since they let their clothes soak in water all day.” He also failed to notice someone had begun walking into the room.

“I hear you can't tell the men and women apart, since they all hide themselves in their stiff clothes!” King Solaris barked, and only then did he notice the extra party in the room. “Launchpad, you know that the Moons are a selfish and greedy lot, don't you?”

Launchpad McQuack was a member of the army, though with the war ended so long ago, mostly he kept tabs on the villagers to break up any fights. He was a tall, muscular bird despite not having fought in ages. He gulped at being so addressed. “Well, uh, yes sir, but, uh, I hate to interrupt a good old fashioned Moon bashing, but we, ah... got a bit of a...I dunno if it's an emergency, but it sure is odd.” He held up a light blue envelope in his hands that had an airy smell of the sea.

All the men in the room stared, unable to tell at first what this mystery object was. Mickey went first. “Well, what is it?”

Launchpad took a deep breath, so he could say the entire story in one go. “Well ah, you see, I was doin' my usual patrol around the kingdom's borders, that's when I saw this thing on the grass, right between our arch entrance and the Forbidden Forest. It's a letter, that's how Moons write letters, y'know. They don't use scrolls. And, uh, well...it's addressed to our young prince here.”

“What!” The King snatched the letter out Launchpad's hands. “Are you serious! This must be a declaration of war!”

“It's addressed to me!” Mickey objected, trying to grab the envelope, but Horace already taken it.

“I can't believe they would be so crass!” Horace flipped the letter to a torch light, trying to read the contents without actually opening it. “Who do they think they are?”

“Gimmie my letter! Give it!”

Alas, this time it was yanked by Goofy, who gave it a curious sniff. “Huh... smells kinda funny. Whaddya think that is?”

Thankfully, Goofy had bent forward for his whiff, allowing Mickey to finally take what he believed was rightfully his. “It's MY letter, so I'M gunna read it!” With a huff and a puff, he tore open the top of the envelope, and pulled out a thin piece of paper with twisting cursive lettering. As he read, all the taller males loomed over his shoulders to read as well.

_Dear Prince Michael,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. I write to you from the Moon Kingdom, in the hopes of both of our futures. In two days time, I will be celebrating my eighteenth birthday. The official party will take place at noon, inside the castle. It would be my honor and pleasure to have you attend. I hope you accept my invitation with all of my genuine intentions._

_Sincerely,_

_Princess Minerva._

Another stretch of silence followed, broken by Goofy who as usual said the obvious. “It's a birthday invitation.”

“It's a trap!” The King slapped his knees. “They must really take us for fools! This is an insult on every level! If I wasn't dying, I'd go over there and show them a thing or two!”

Horace cupped his chin. “Should we take this as an attack on our kingdom?”

Mickey still remained quiet, tapping the letter to his nose. He 'hmmm'ed out loud, and seeing his rare serious expression was enough to catch everyone's attention. Launchpad bent down to look at him better. “Whatcha thinkin' there, your Highness?”

“What I'm gunna wear,” Mickey replied without looking at Launchpad, musing to himself. “Are the fabric stores closed yet?”

“Are you mad!” Horace turned Mickey around, spinning him a few times for good measure. “You can't possibly be thinking of going! That's a suicide mission!”

“Absolutely!” The King pointed at his son, shaking with rage. “I forbid you to attend!”

Mickey's temper was bubbling, but he knew the usual argument would do no good here. For all his spoiled behavior and disrespectful attitude, there was a clever brain behind the orange fur. He sucked on his lip, and then leaned his head back, catching Goofy's face. Goofy merely shrugged. Mickey chewed on the envelope's corner. “Y'know...if I didn't go...the Moons might see it as me bein' a coward.”

King Solaris' eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Cow... coward?!”

Horace felt he was going to be ill. “We can't let them think that! Maybe that's what they were planning all along!”

Launchpad nodded slowly. “That's awful smart of them Moons.”

The King whipped off his bed sheets, ready to get out and get moving. “I forbid you from not attending! We'll show those Moons what it means to be a man of the Sun!”

Pleased, Mickey casually strolled out of the room while King Solaris, Horace, and Launchpad ranted and raved about the Moons. As always, Goofy followed his prince. “Gee, Mickey, I ain't ever been to the Moon Kingdom before. And I bet a whole ton of them ain't ever seen one of us before either.”

“You're right.” Mickey agreed, tilting his head in thought. “Why, I'll be the real representative of the Sun Kingdom! I gotta make a first impression that knocks their socks off! C'mon, Goofy, we got a lot to plan!”

Goofy didn't understand what Mickey was thinking – he was pondering if the Moon people wore socks – but since he didn't understand most things he happily went along with his prince. His best friend usually didn't have the best ideas, but he always had the most fun ones.

Two days seemed like a long time to plan on both sides, and for a moment, they all felt they knew exactly what was to come.

They were both extremely wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Used a former storybit, but I'd still like to think I improved here and there. If this was a comic/illustrated, I'd like to imagine the 'mickey meets minnie' scene lasts for SEVERAL panels, that's how stunned they are =P Also, "achkan" is a real article of clothing! Hopefully I will implement more stuff like that in the future. Finally, did you catch another Disney song in there?
> 
> Big thanks to Drucilla and BlueShifted for their editing!

Normally, Prince Mickey did not like wearing the color white. It dirtied far too easily, and when something was dirty, Horace complained, and when Horace complained, the entire day became annoying. Today, however, came with three exceptions to this rule. The first was that Horace wasn't going where Mickey was, which, honestly, was a relief to them both. The second was that Mickey wanted to make a good first impression on the Moon Princess, and the rest of the Moon Kingdom.

“Aw gee, Mickey.” Goofy tugged and tugged again on his achkan – the knee length jacket wasn't something he was used to. “You didn't have ta get me a new outfit. This feels real neat.”

The third reason was so that Mickey matched outfits with his best friend. Horace had loudly objected, saying Mickey should at least wear something to prove he was Goofy's superior. To shut him up, Mickey had agreed to wear a ridiculously large and white fluffy hat, though he planned to ditch it the moment he was in the Moon Kingdom. Both Mickey and Goofy felt strange having so much of their bodies covered, but it wasn't a bad feeling. It was as if their clothes reflected their moods – nervous and tight, anticipating the day's actions.

“Well, I did it anyways.” Mickey lightly pat his friend on the arm before adjusting his hat for the seventh time. “C'mon, Goofy, you're my best pal. Whatever happens to me, happens to you. Your old man protected my old man, so you protect me, so your kid's gunna protect my kid.”

“Don't tell me that means you're finally giving marriage some thought,” Horace huffed from outside the room. “Although it would get the King to stop telling me to give him grandbabies.”

Mickey looked up at Goofy's face with bubbling amusement. “He's still mad, ain't he?”

Goofy took this as an actual question, and looked at the open hole in the wall that served as a doorway. “Hey, Horace, you still mad about the gift?”

“Why in the world would you give a Moon anything!” the horse snapped, waiting outside the thin layers of beads that separated Mickey's room from the hallway. “And to give her that, of all things... I swear to the Phoenix, it's like you want the Great War to start all over again!”

“Huh. I'd say he's still mad, Mickey.”

“AND STOP CALLING HIM THAT!”

Mickey gave up the eighth attempt to adjust his hat and headed towards his dilapidated bed where the birthday present in question lay. “Whoever heard of comin' to a birthday party without a present? You're supposed to be my teacher, but someone ought to teach you some manners.” Truthfully, he had wanted Horace's opinion on the present, but apparently he wasn't going to get more than bigotry and resistance.

Mickey wasn't new to gift giving. He was more than happy to give Goofy whatever he desired, which was often difficult as Goofy didn't desire much, save for the occasional sandwich. When Mickey skipped lessons to play in the kingdom, he threw money around as if it was confetti and every day was a party. If a small child whined about wanting a new ball to play with, they'd be bouncing one in seconds. If an aging grandmother sighed about her ripped sandals, she'd be holding a prettier pair by sundown.

The obvious problem was that Mickey didn't know what the princess wanted, if she wanted anything at all. He'd forgone sleep to speculate and plan. When the idea finally came to him, he had to pay the jeweler triple his usual price to make the order. Girls liked jewelry, but this was also a symbolic event. Both of these facts combined formed the gift that was loosely wrapped in parchment on his bed. On some level Mickey pondered if Horace was right, and that this gift would be seen as an insult. His confidence about this was uncharacteristically shaky.

However he refused to show it. Mickey wouldn't give anyone that satisfaction. He rolled it up and tucked it under his arm. “We'd better get goin', anyhow. The earlier the better.” He headed out into the hallway, Goofy behind him like his shadow.

Horace met Goofy's eyes. “Make sure to eat before his highness does, in case the food is poisoned.”

“Oh boy, I forgot to eat breakfast. It all works out!” Goofy chirped, and then jogged to catch up with Mickey.

~*~

 

When Princess Minnie woke on her eighteenth birthday, she stared at the ceiling and mentally examined herself. She was supposed to be an adult now. Yet she didn't feel any different than she had the day before, or even since her last birthday. She was sure adulthood wasn't some sort of internal switch that flicked on at an exact second. At the same time she was sure she wasn't supposed to be the same person she was before. She wondered what she'd done wrong.

When Daisy came in with breakfast and gossip, Minnie tried to pay attention as best she could, but her mind kept going back to what it meant to be an adult. Of course she couldn't just be any adult – she had to be a Queen someday. The idea of turning into her mother wasn't a scary thing, but it was impossible. She tried looking at it from the opposite angle, but she couldn't imagine her mother as a child either. Queen Lune always seemed to have a solid, steady hold of things, with little hesitation or error in her actions.

A perfect example of this came after breakfast. Every morning, before lessons, dancing, or even being fully awake, Queen Lune was to be found on the uppermost balcony of the palace. Minnie and Daisy would join her shortly, though Daisy would patiently wait in the doorway. From this balcony you could see the entire kingdom, and glimpse the forest.

“Good morning, Minerva,” Queen Lune said without looking at her.

“Good morning, mother.” Minnie curtsied respectfully before getting into place beside her. She wondered if her mother would wish her a happy birthday and wasn't surprised when it wasn't mentioned.

“Straighten your back,” Queen Lune instructed, casting an arm out over the balcony's rim. “Every movement must be precise and sharp. You can't afford a step out of place.”

Minnie obeyed without complaint. This ritual was one of the terrors of adulthood she would have to someday face on her own. The Moon Kingdom – technically a Queendom, Donald would say, but the Sun Kingdom may look down on us if we say otherwise – was covered in many canals of running water. More than half of the rooftops had water cascading down, dripping onto the early risers in the streets. Though well trained members of the Kingdom could control this water with their body, it was the royalty who were tasked with keeping it in check. Every morning, the Queen was to guide the water through the kingdom so it would not overflow and flood into the forest and beyond. The water would be calm until the next morning, when it had to be done all over again. For now, Minnie could only copy the movements.

She spared a glance at her mother. Though they were right next to each other, Minnie could't help but feel alone. She wished her mother would say something besides the usual instructions. Minnie wanted desperately to know she was doing well enough, to know that she had achieved adulthood and was a proper lady. Deeply and truly, she wanted a compliment, any compliment at all.

“Keep your eyes ahead, Minerva.”

The ritual took only a few minutes, and soon enough Queen Lune lowered her hand, taking out a small blue handkerchief to dab sweat from her forehead. Minnie took this as a sign she was dismissed, and turned away.

“Minerva. A moment.”

Minnie paused, and quickly turned back to her mother, eyebrows raised. “Yes, mother?”

“Today, you are eighteen.” Queen Lune looked down at her daughter, her shadow capturing both her and Daisy. “You are a woman, and it is time you gave serious thought to your future. One day, this talisman, this castle, this kingdom will be your responsibility. And with your leadership...” At this she trailed off. Minnie waited, unsure of why such a long pause was being taken. She assumed her mother was having just as difficult a time imagining Minnie on the throne as she was.

Never would she have guessed that Queen Lune was struggling to say she had begun looking into candidates for marriage. Nor would Minnie have guessed the sadness in these thoughts, or the fear that once Queen Lune said them, she could not take them back, and Minnie would be an adult who no longer needed her mother. When she finally spoke again, her tone was unintentionally harsh. “Go prepare yourself for the celebration. We need to be ready when your... guest... arrives.”

“Yes, mother.” Minnie bit back a sigh and walked out with Daisy, deciding she'd never be good enough to fit her mother's standards. She could hardly blame the Queen.

Once they were out of the Queen's earshot, Daisy clapped her hands. “Cheer up, birthday girl! Think of all the gifts you'll be getting from the nobles today! Not to mention our guest of honor! You have to put on a smile for him!”

“Yes, I suppose you're right.” Minnie drew a breath, trying to physically shove away her sadness. “I can't greet him with a sour face. I wouldn't want to insult him. Hopefully we can all get along.” She cast a quick glance at her companion. “I love you Daisy, you know that, but... it would be so nice to have another friend.”

Daisy leaned in to adjust one of Minnie's hair jewels. For the special occasion, her hair decorations were even more lavish than usual, including threads that rested a sapphire perfectly on her forehead. “Oh, I don't blame you, Minnie. I'd love to introduce you to José, and Morgana! Oh, you would adore Morgana. Don't you fret.” Finished, she pulled back with a smile. “Once the Prince gets a look at you, I'm sure he'll want to be your best friend! Who wouldn't love you?”

Minnie could easily think of a few examples off of the top of her head. “I don't need him to love me... but if he liked me? That would be all I could ask for a birthday present.”

~*~

Not everyone could attend Princess Minerva's birthday celebration. Only those invited could go, and that tended to be rich nobles with historic families. Clarabelle Cow was not one of these people, but she didn't mind. She rather liked the mystery of the never-seen princess. It made for terrific gossip, and when she spotted a fellow busybody, she grinned in delight. “Ms. Beakly! Don't you look well today!”

Ms. Beakly was an aging bird that had seen many years, yet when she talked to her friends she seemed decades younger. “Why, Clarabelle, thank you so very much.” Since they were polite society ladies, they kept their voices low, barely heard over the rushing water. “I feel as fresh as a daisy. It must be the Princess' well wishes for her kingdom.”

With the frivolous greetings and praises over with, Clarabelle jumped to the juicy stuff. “I'd say she should keep those well wishes for herself. I heard two days ago, all of the castle staff was brought before the Queen! There was some kind of trouble, I tell you!”

“All of them!” Ms. Bearkly repeated in disbelief. “My word! What in the world do you think it was about?”

“Rumor is,” Clarabelle leaned in, one hand on her cheek, “Princess Minerva was up to something.”

“Not the Princess! What could she have possibly done? Are you sure it wasn't Daisy Duck? With the way she dresses...”

“Oh, I agree, she's not the best influence on our dear Princess. Why the Queen lets her stay there is beyond me.”

On and on they prattled, placing blame on everyone, making up guesses as to what the trouble was without coming close to the truth. It was when they started talking about Pete's lack of a love life when Clarabelle paused. “Say, do you hear something?”

Ms. Beakly went quiet, and after a moment she looked to the running canal water. Unusual ripples had begun to form. It wasn't long before she noticed what Clarabelle had heard. “It sounds like... no, it can't be. My hearing must be going.” She couldn't have possibly had heard music. No one in the kingdom would be so disrespectfully loud.

Soon the rest of the commoners out and about also stopped what they were doing. As they listened to the sound, it became closer and louder.

Mickey and the Sun Kingdom had many words. They had many different words for dancing, food, and clothing. A word they did not possess knowledge of was 'subtle'.

Up in the castle, Scrooge McDuck and his nephew Donald watched from the same balcony the Queen had been on an hour ago. It was Donald who gave the first response to Mickey's entrance.

“WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I LOOKING AT?!”

Mickey was riding his prized stallion, a brown spotted beauty that he had named Horace to annoy his tutor. He still had the gift tucked under his arm, and kept his chin high, not saying a word. He didn't have to.

That was left to the extremely vocal rooster leading the entire group into the kingdom, wildly picking his guitar strings as he sang Prince Mickey's praises. Goofy led the horse by the reigns, though he was having some fun twirling his staff around like a baton. There were several barely dressed dancing girls swinging their hips and moving their arms in tune to the rooster's song, often becoming a back up chorus. There were heavy beagles on drums, skinny teens juggling, talented men from the army blowing fire and weaving it into patterns; there were tambourines and banners and kites and gold coins being tossed into the streets. Every time the gossipers blinked, it was as if five more people appeared in the parade, throwing flower petals in their faces.

As the rooster sang about Prince Mickey, fabulous he, Donald came to a decision. “I am not letting that in.”

“I don't think we have a choice,” his uncle replied sullenly, wondering how much wine he was going to need after today.

“I am NOT letting THAT in!” Donald repeated harder, and he raced off to the entrance of the castle.

In order to appear more welcoming to the people, the doors to the castle led right into the throne room, where Queen Lune and Princess Minerva had already taken their seats. They were hidden behind thin white curtains, showing only their silhouettes. The nobles would see them only at this time of year, so it was supposed to be the most exciting part of the day. Right now it was being overshadowed by the noise coming outside.

Perhaps it was because no one had ever heard such loud noise in their life that no one thought to stop this bizarre onslaught of people heading toward the castle. Donald had successfully managed reach the doors, and even managed to close them, dusting his hands off in self-congratulations. This victory lasted about three seconds before the doors slammed open and the wave of Sun people stampeded their way in, making a nicely Donald-shaped indent in the wall.

Despite being at their destination, the moving carnival didn't stop. They continued to sing and dance and even rolled out a miniature, worn-out carpet underneath the horse's feet. Mickey decided to have his horse roar-up and kick for extra measure, and the rooster was about to go on about Mickey's physique, how could he speak, weak at the knees - 

“ENOUGH!” Queen Lune's voice thundered out as she slammed down the staff at the exact same moment .The command echoed off of each wall, dousing the song out at once. Mickey blinked rapidly, and he looked around at the guests and saw their dropped jaws, it occurred to him that maybe, just maybe, he had gone a tad overboard. Even the dancers had frozen in place, though one or two fell over due to trying to balance on one foot. “The invitation was for Prince Michael ONLY. I demand the rest of you... barbarians leave my kingdom at once, or I will consider this an act of war!”

Though Mickey was not a tall person to begin with, hearing that cold voice made him feel six inches high. “Uh. Whoops.” He slid off of his horse, and made a quick waving motion to the small crowd that attended him. “Thanks for the support, fellas. Have a nice trip on home.” The group was more than ready to go at this point, though many mumbled 'Good luck, your highness,' and 'What a prude!' It wasn't until only Mickey and Goofy remained that the doors closed once more and a dizzy Donald pulled himself from the wreckage.

Now with all the previous intruders having left in snobbish huffs, the only ones left were two brightly covered- and now very meek- individuals standing in the middle of the gigantic ball room. A long silence reigned, save for nervous laughter coming from the prince, who airily gestured to the tall dog behind him. "...He can stay, right? I mean, he's my bodyguard, he kind of has to..."

The Queen, still hidden behind that white curtain, sighed heavily, but seemed to nod in agreement. Now that Mickey was standing still to look at the curtains, he could take a guess who was the mother and who was the daughter. He noted that the daughter's throne was much smaller, which was fitting since the shadow atop it was quite small. The silhouettes showed that the Queen was holding a staff of some sort, with an oval top, and that the Princess was having trouble staying in place, she was so eager. Mickey slowly turned around to actually look at where he was.

The ballroom was elaborately decorated in blues, purples, and whites, with stained glass windows reaching high towards the ceiling. Tables were lined up and filled with gifts for the princess, as well as delicious smelling food for everyone. In one corner were the musicians, who were still gripping their instruments in fear. All of the guests were dressed in exotic furs and jewels, wrapped up so tight it was hard to see the startled faces underneath. Next to the curtain, Scrooge now stood in front of of the queen's side, stroking his whiskers. Donald had managed to crawl to Minnie's right side, while Daisy took the left, every so often pulling the curtain back a bit to whisper something to her highness.

The Queen waved her hand at the elder duck, and he cleared his throat. "Presenting her royal Highness, Queen Lune of the Moon Kingdom."

Donald, after a moment regaining his wits, tugged on a long, yellow rope, grunting with each tug. The curtain slowly began to rise on the Queen's side and she stood , walking out from underneath it. As she did so, the guests bowed and curtsied so deeply, it was a wonder to Mickey that their backs didn't snap. But to be polite, he and Goofy copied the respectful gesture.

The Queen was a tall woman, with white hair scrunched together in a bun at the back of her head. Small spectacles rested on her long nose, with eyes that seemed to always be glaring at something or someone. Her shoulders stabbed straight outwards, and her violet dress clung to her skin-tight, nearly cutting off circulation. The staff was black, but on the very top, it held an oval stone, imprinted with the design of a rabbit in white and blue pebbles. Mickey knew he had seen that sort of stone somewhere else before, but couldn't quite place where. She gave off the appearance of a woman who had experienced much. Mickey tried to imagine her smiling and found it couldn't be done.

"We welcome you, Prince Michael of the Sun Kingdom." Queen Lune's voice was deep, commanding, though at least calmer than when she had yelled at Mickey's extra guests. "And we thank you for accepting the invitation." She seemed to catch her daughter's fits in the corner of her eye, and suppressed a suffering sigh, waving to Scrooge again.

Again Scrooge cleared his throat, and again Donald tugged. "Presenting her royal Highness, daughter to Queen Lune, Princess Minerva of the Moon Kingdom." The second curtain lifted, and Daisy backed away to give her highness more space. The princess rushed out to be seen, nearly tripping over her high heels in her eagerness.

She was absolutely nothing like what the paintings Mickey had collected portrayed. Compared to her mother – compared to anyone – she was quite petite, in every way. Her fur was a clean white, and her hair seemed to roll for ages, even though most of it was tied up in silvery chains. Her hands, gloved in lace, were clasped together in sheer excitement, and her wisp of a tail flickered quietly behind her. Her dress was a replica of her mother's, except it wasn't so tight, and instead allowed more room for what flesh there was of her to relax. However the biggest contrast to the Queen was that she was smiling, broad and beautiful, her cheeks beginning to turn a luminescent pink.

Neither Mickey or Minnie had been sure what to expect when they met each other. They wouldn't have guessed it was this.

The Princess and the Prince looked each other in the eyes, and with that, nothing else in the world existed. All time was devoted to intense study, unable to believe that such a person could be created. Minnie took this revelation with happiness, hands pressed to her chest, feeling her heart flutter. Mickey took it with shock: he couldn't move or think, unaware his own mouth was hanging open for words that refused to form in his mind. Eternity was theirs, lost in the brilliance of each other's eyes.

At least, until Goofy nudged his shoulder into Mickey's ribs. The boy jerked, startled out of his stupor, and looked back to his bodyguard, who was bent over in a bow, exactly the same as everyone else in the room. Deeply embarrassed, Mickey bowed as well, wondering if he had ever blushed so hard before. He hoped that the melodic giggling he was hearing was from Minnie.

It did seem the match the voice from her that followed. "Thank you for accepting my invitation, Prince Michael."

"N-No problem!" he stammered, and was nudged again. "I-I mean! I, uh, it was... I was honored to receive it! The, um, invitation..." For reasons Mickey couldn't comprehend, the ability to form well-structured sentences was beyond him now. His heart felt ready to explode out of his chest from how fast it was racing, and his palms were sweating. But the latter reminded him he was still holding the precious parcel under his arm. It'd provide a good distraction from his foolishness. "I, um, I got ya a present! …birthday and all..."

This appeared to surprise everyone, and Minnie, with much glee, turned to her mother, pleading. "Oh, Mother, may I see what is it?" The Queen narrowed her eyes - Mickey didn't think they could narrow further! - but nodded. Ecstatic, the little princess made her way to the flustered prince, Daisy following but keeping a set distance between the two. Mickey nearly backed up, but Goofy gave him a gentle push forward.

Was he shaking? He hoped he wasn't, as he extended the small brown bundle of parchment forward. "Ah, w-well, it's, uh, nothin' that big, it, uh..." She was even prettier up close, and he was positive he was going to have a heart attack. "That, um...it's a necklace." Girls liked jewelry, he was told girls liked jewelry, he hoped to the Phoenix that girls liked jewelry.

Minnie unwrapped it, trying not to watch Mickey's face. It was rather nice for someone else to lose their confidence for once. He made it seem cute. But then, her attention was caught by what lay within the wrapping. The necklace that lay there was very simple, hand made, but what stood out was the design that was bigger than the rest of the beads. It was a bright orange circle, no doubt the sun, nestled ever so comfortably into the light yellow crescent of moon. You could not pull off one without destroying the other.

In awe, Minnie ran a finger down the design, breathing deeply in her amazement. "Oh, my...it's...it's gorgeous." Delicately grasping the necklace, she held it upwards for everyone to see. Several guests shifted uncomfortably at what such a symbol could represent, but still no one dared utter a word. After admiring it, she turned to the female duck. "Daisy, could you help me put this on?"

"Of course," Daisy chirped, and stepped closer to aide her princess. She took the necklace in her own hands, and linked it around the princess's neck, moving enough hair out of the way so nothing would tangle. It was easy to connect the links and it was set in seconds. "A perfect fit," the maiden announced, and gave a congratulatory kiss to the princess's cheek. "You look lovely." She gave each shoulder a pat, then retreated back to the safe distance she was at before. Goofy seemed to take the same idea, eyeing the buffet table, and was soon humming to himself as he tasted new treats.

Queen Lune sat back down, exhausted already, and wryly snapped her fingers. That was the cue for the musicians to resume playing, a slow and soft melody that led to a waltz. The guests tried to relax, asking one another to join them on the dance floor, holding each other tenderly as their feet moved with the melody. Yet to Mickey, this brought nothing but confusion. What kind of music was this? Where were the drums and singers?

"What're they doing?" he asked Minnie, jabbing a thumb to the couples.

"Why, they're dancing." _Obviously,_ she thought. "Doesn't your kingdom have dancing?"

"Sure we do. But this ain't dancin'." He realized how rude that sounded, and felt his face flush again. "I, uh, that is...our dancin's different! It's a lot faster, and the music's a lot louder." In fact, the entire area was much calmer than what he was used to. There was order and rules, instead of people sharing drinks and swinging wildly from one person to the next. On the surface, it seemed rather dull. As he continued to watch the Moons, he saw glimpses of loveliness in what they were doing. There was an intimacy to their movements, with each couple lost in their own little world, the music allowing them to think beyond their feet.

"I would love to hear your music sometime," Minnie commented, following his eyes for a moment, before adding, "Would you like to dance with me?"

He nearly jumped, the question threw him off so hard. "Wha - Dance- I -" His muscles all tensed at once, not sure how to handle the question posed. "Aw, I...I don't know how, to do, uh, yer dancin'...I don't know how to dance like these folks."

"It's not as hard as it looks." She turned away from him, and called out. "Donald? Daisy? Could you come and help us out?"

Donald gave a quiet sneer to the prince as he walked over. He bowed reverently to his princess, then ignored Mickey altogether. Daisy was prancing over with hands swaying side to side, far more relaxed than her male counterpart. Minnie waved to each of them. "This is Donald, my tutor, and Daisy, my handmaiden."

"Hiya." Mickey gave a traditional Sun salute when making new friends, two fingers bouncing off his head.

"Pleasure's all ours, surely." Daisy curtsied quickly, voice bubbly and light.

"Charmed," snapped Donald, cheek twitching in anger.

Minnie gestured to an empty space besides them. "Would you two mind dancing for us? The Prince isn't used to our customs just yet."

Daisy sucked in a breath, whipping around to Donald in a frenzied joy. "Sure, let's!" Donald grimaced at the notion, but he was obedient. Murmuring something or other about a stupid prince, he and Daisy took the empty space up, facing each other. He exhaled loudly, trying to let out all of his frustrations, before taking part in the ritual. First he bowed, not as low as he had to the royals, but significant enough to take notice of, with one arm laying on his stomach, and one foot placed behind him. Daisy repeated her curtsy, and also did the motion of placing one foot back. When they were both standing up straight, he offered his left hand to her, which she seized tightly. His right hand came to her hip, while her free hand touched his shoulder. When the music had reached the right moment, he took a step forward, and she took a step back.

Wanting to catch up to them, Mickey flimsily did the bowing routine, while Minerva curtsied with great grace. He offered her hand, and she rested her palm over his . A cooling sensation came from her glove, which eased the warmth of his awkwardness. He bit his lower lip in worry as his hand came to her hip – he had seen more than a dozen hips in his lifetime, why touching this particular one was sending him into a panic attack was a question for the ages – and he strained his neck to watch the ducks move their feet. He copied it as best he could, following their circular motion, back and forth.

Mickey wasn't perfect, and every time his foot touched her dress, he winced in regret. "Sorry," he whispered, after this happened for the third time.

"You're doing fine," Minnie whispered right back, a devious little smirk coming upon her face. "You're doing much better than Donald's first time...he kept stepping on my feet!"

The accused heard the remark, and turned his head sharply, only to be yanked back into attention by his partner. He was exasperated, and she was enamored, but that was another story for another time.

The slight to the duck had eased Mickey's nerves a smidgen and it wasn't long before he was counting the steps off in his head. He found that the music was made to be in time with the steps, and so he was able to let his mind wander, as long as his body kept in time with the music. With their bodies so close together, Mickey realized that it wasn't just Minnie's glove that gave off cold. Her entire body emanated a lower temperature, a stark contrast to the normal heat his own body radiated. This wasn't a complaint, though – the cooling of degrees was a soothing effect.

"You're a fast learner." The princess's words were quiet.

"I've got a good partner." He finally smiled at her, the ability to speak his once more. She gave a quaint chuckle, and her eyelashes fluttered momentarily. Surely she must have heard such compliments before, yet they were of a different flavor coming from him. As they began to freely converse, they made sure to keep their voices low, so as to not be heard by others.

"Outta curiosity..." Mickey asked. "How come ya invited me over anyhow?"

"I wanted to know what you were like." Minnie's reply was plain, simple, her voice suggesting that it wasn't really so scandalous as everyone was making it out to be. "The war was over before we were even born, why do we have to act like total strangers?"

"Yeah, totally!" He enthusiastically swung their hands together, glad to see she was of like mind. "Always did think that was kinda silly...'Sides, you guys aren't so bad to be around!"

A playful pout. "Oh, really?"

Whoops again. "Uh, no, I mean, not bad at all! Nothing bad, ever!"

"I'm only teasing," Minnie sighed, over dramatically, "These parties can be so dreadfully boring. I liked your entrance."

Mickey perked up. "You did? And here I thought the dancin' girls were a bit much."

"Is that what they were? They were ever so pretty! But aren't they cold, wearing so little?"

"I thought you guys might be sweatin' to death with all that ya wear!"

They laughed merrily together, before lapsing back into conversation, exchanging everything they could think of. They talked of customs and parties, of legends and people, of stories and celebrations, with each enthralled, trying to come up with pictures in their mind to go with the flurry of information. Dancing itself was forgotten, and they stayed in place holding each other close, only letting go to show off something's imagined size, and even then the hand would settle back into place right after. Even the most minute detail went into the talk, because to spare even a single thing was to leave the partner without something to hold on to. It was only when they went to the topic of music that the two realized it had stopped playing. Looking around, the couples had long since stopped dancing, and, judging by how much food had vanished since last they checked, they had been chatting for a rather long amount of time.

Mickey whistled, tapping his foot. "Time flies when yer havin' fun."

"Oh, but we don't have to finish!" Minnie tugged on his shoulder, desperate. "You were just saying about something called a samba?"

"It's a dance! Real easy too! See, it's all in the hips." He let her go, only to place both of his hands on her waist "And you just-"

Suddenly there erupted the driest and loudest cough that Mickey had ever heard, and was sure to ever hear, in his entire lifetime. The tone and direction was familiar – Queen Lune had uttered it so, and was digging her fingers into her armrest. It took a full second for Mickey to understand just why she was so miffed, and he immediately withdrew his hands from the girl's hips, holding his hands up in the air in self-defense, cheeks scarlet.

"I do believe..." Queen Lune's tone was bitter and acidic. "... that Prince Michael has overstayed his welcome. It would be best for he and his company to take their leave before it grows dark. We would not want them to lose their way home."

Distraught, the princess turned towards the queen. "Oh, but, Mother, can't he stay for just a little while longer?" She received a low growl in response. Defeated, Minnie faced her new friend, with another curtsy. "It was... very nice meeting you, Prince Michael. I hope you enjoyed yourself."

Hearing his bodyguard begin to walk over, the prince leaned in to give a flash of a whisper. "Mickey. And, uh, you throw one great party." A touch to her cheek, then to the bottom of her chin - a sign of familiarity when leaving a female, another Sun tradition. He bowed deeply, taking his sweet time, and then he felt Goofy's arm grip his shoulder, starting to drag him backwards. The boy protested, and walked willingly away on his own. Yet he continued to look behind him, for one last glimpse at the princess of the moon.

The last he saw of her, her hands were over her necklace, the smile fading from her face as they were separated further and further from each other. The handmaiden hastened to her side, having long since been shoved away by her partner, pestering the royal for details. Goofy, on the other hand, kept to himself, not wanting to pry into private affairs, as the two brightly colored boys made their way through the watery kingdom. That was quite all right with Mickey, as he had nothing to say. Nor did Minnie, eyes on the closed doors.

Something had happened deep within the mice, something great and terrible and beautiful, something all-consuming and all-encompassing, yet they were not able to tell just what it was. Each knew something had changed upon meeting the other, but just what impact this had left on them could not be defined. A feeling so unfamiliar and strange was welling up from within, with no known way to contain it. Greater than longing - more powerful than friendship - deeper than curiosity - and yet, for now, in this moment...nameless, and aching.

A tiny ache, right in the chest.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Used 2 old storybits here! I'm just a big ol' cheater. For Panchito's bar, I hear "Sun Goes Down" by David Jordan.
> 
> Thanks again for the editing powers of Drucilla and BlueShifted.

Mickey enjoyed riddles. He believed he was the cleverest man in the kingdom, and riddles were a chance to prove it. Horace often took advantage of this and would use a difficult riddle to keep Mickey in the castle as the prince puzzled it over. But, over the years, Horace had run out of riddles and had to resort to new strategies to keep Mickey in one place.

Today, Horace found that he didn't need to do anything. Mickey had his own riddle to solve, one he hadn't told Horace or Goofy of. He lay slumped in his chair as Horace prattled on about how the kingdom's economy worked, but the scholar may as well have been speaking to a wall since Mickey wasn't paying attention. The prince refused to be stumped, even if it was by himself. The all-mighty riddle was What's happening to me?

Ever since Princess Minerva's birthday over a week ago, Mickey hadn't been able to get her off his mind. She was waiting in every thought, her melodic giggling ringing in his ears and her cool touch soft on his skin. She'd been both demure and vibrant, playful yet shy, and he was missing her terribly with every aching hour. At night when Mickey was alone, he'd repeat what they had said to each other, fearing he might someday forget their long eventful conversation. He was sure of all these facts, but he couldn't understand why it was so important to him. Minerva was a new friend, but he made new friends almost every time he went into the kingdom.

Mickey huffed and shifted again in his chair, befuddled by his own emotions. Goofy silently sat on the floor, keeping to himself. Horace cleared his throat. “Your Highness, I bet you ten pieces of gold you can't remember anything I said in the past ten minutes.”

Now Mickey was sitting upside-down, wondering if the right angle would help his brain find the answers. “Keep your gold, Horace. I've got more important things to worry about.”

“More important than how to rule your own kingdom?” Horace grumbled, but he would not be baited further. “I swear, if you don't start acting right, I'll... why, I'll burn those precious paintings of yours!”

Mickey tilted his head left, then right, and then nodded. “Go ahead.”

The tutor paused. Threats weren't supposed to work this way. Even Goofy was looking over at Mickey in curiosity, as Horace tried again. “I mean it. I'll make it so not even ashes remain!”

“I don't need 'em anymore.” Mickey was getting dizzy, and shifted once more, now laying on the armrests. What did he need with those paintings when he met the real thing? None of those artists had come close to capturing her beauty and grace. No painting could giggle or dance like Minerva did. Nothing and no one could replace her. It agonized Mickey, wanting her company so desperately, knowing he couldn't have it, and even worse, not understanding why it was such a painful need. What made her so different from the dozens of friends he already had?

Horace scratched his head, though he was careful to smooth his hair after. “Hmmm...I suppose that's a sign of improvement. Maybe that ridiculous party finally showed you how stuffy those Moons are. But you need to focus less on them and more on your own kingdom. Why, what if...what if people came to you with your problems and you didn't know how to solve them?”

Mickey was thankfully distracted by the challenge. “Who says I wouldn't know how to solve 'em? I can solve any problem.”

“Oh? What if two men came to you and claimed they both owned a wagon? How would you determine who really bought it?”

The prince paused. “I'd just buy the second fella a wagon!”

“So you think money can solve everything? What if two women came to you and claimed they both owned a child? Could you buy a second child?”

Now Mickey sat upright, annoyed that Horace was making some very good points. “W-well, maybe, I could...I could...let the kid choose?”

Horace was trying not to smirk. “But the false mother could bribe the child with promises of sweets and toys! You see, your Highness, you're trying to find the quickest solution to these problems, not the right ones. You can't run a kingdom that way. You need patience to help your people, and the right knowledge. Your father needed to study too and that's how he became the wise, great man he is today.”

The prince crossed his arms, sour that he had lost the game of wits. “You mean the wise, great man who keeps saying he'll die every half hour? How many times have you had to rewrite his will?”

The tutor chose not to acknowledge this. “Your father had many difficult problems in his rule, not including the Great War! Do you know how you would handle what he did? The bread shortage? The dry spells?”

Mickey again found himself defeated. No, he didn't know how to solve any of those problems, and he especially didn't know what to do if the Great War ever started up again. Maybe Horace was right. Maybe he should stop thinking about Minerva and focus on his studies.

Horace continued to point out the problems King Solaris had faced. “The reconstruction of the army, and before that, how your mother challenged the rules of the army?”

Suddenly Mickey's serious train of thought screeched to a halt. “Wait a minute. What was that about my Ma?”

The tutor hadn't expected this line of questioning, but since he had Mickey's attention, he was desperate to hold onto it. “You know this story, your father has told you a hundred times. Your mother wanted to join the army, which was all male back then. She demanded an audience with the king, and-”

“But the king fell in love with her, right?” Mickey interrupted, leaning forward in his chair. Yes, he had heard this story more times he cared to count, but he'd never really given it much thought until this exact moment.

Horace drew himself up, and picked up a piece of chalk, beginning to draw the former queen on the board. “Not right away, of course. She challenged him to a fight, and-”

“But she fell in love with him, right?” Mickey interrupted again, his fingers clenching up. “That's the feeling, ain't it? When you want to...to be with someone? The two of them, they wanted to-to-to hug, and k-kiss, and be with each other forever and ever! That is love, ain't it?” By the Phoenix, why hadn't Mickey realized this earlier? A bubbling sensation was rising up through his chest and throat. “When you feel more than...than just friendship for someone? When you want to know all about them? Is that what my old man felt for my Ma?”

Horace never had a girlfriend, so he wasn't entirely certain on this subject, but Mickey absolutely didn't need to know this, nor King 'give me grandbabies' Solaris. He cleared his throat. “Considering your father commissioned a large statue of your mother in the middle of the kingdom after she passed away, I think it can be said he loved her deeply. Now, where was I?”

“Start over, at the very beginning.” Mickey said, beginning to slip out of his chair while Horace's back was turned.

“Very well! I suppose every child wants to know how their parents got together. I must say, your father would be pleased to hear this. He was worried you wouldn't care about your mother, since you never got to meet her. Now, back in those days, the army had a unique formation...” Horace began to draw an outline of the army's typical marching formation in the streets, but when he moved to explain how their weaponry differed from man to man, he saw that Mickey and Goofy were gone.

The castle echoed with Horace's roars as he raced to chase after his student, howling with anger as he departed the castle and went into the kingdom. Mickey had expected this, which was why he had gone to his bedroom, knowing full well Horace would waste time searching in Mickey's usual places. Once the threat to use Mickey as a battering ram had gone quiet, the prince sat down and instructed Goofy to do the same. Mickey placed his hands on his knees.

“Goofy, y'know I trust you.” Mickey spoke with a tone so grave that he nearly didn't recognize himself. “You're my best friend. But I'm about to tell you a really big secret, so I need you to promise me you won't tell anyone.”

“I promise.” Goofy replied, hands in his lap.

“I mean it! Cross your heart, hope to die!” Mickey drew an X on his chest with his finger.

Goofy repeated the action, still cheerful. “Cross mah heart, hope t'die.”

“And if you ever, ever, EVER tell anyone, I'll kick you outta the castle and never speak to you again.”

Finally Goofy looked worried, and he leaned in after a big gulp. “Gee, Mickey, this must be one big secret! I swear, I ain't ever gunna tell anyone!”

Satisfied, Mickey inhaled deeply, and then exhaled. “I'm in love...with Princess Minerva.”

Goofy waited three seconds, and then nodded. “Okay. So what's the secret?”

The prince stared at his bodyguard, and then spat as he stuttered. “What – What's the - That IS the secret, you big goof!”

Goofy sat up straight and shrugged. “But I thought secrets were things nobody else knew.”

“So you're sayin' you knew I was in love with her before I knew?” Mickey pointed an accusatory finger at his friend.

“Figured that's what it was, cause you kept havin' this silly face all the time.” Goofy then lopped his head back, let his tongue lapse out to a side, and allowed his eyes to relax and dull. Once he was sure the impression was right, he moved his head back to normal. “And seein' as that princess was the only new person in yer life, shoot, I thought it was obvious.”

Mickey rubbed his cheeks in an effort to make himself stop blushing. Surely he hadn't looked that ridiculous, but Goofy wasn't one to exaggerate. “This is a fine time for you to start usin' your noggin. But I still meant it, you can't tell anybody.”

“You got it, Mickey.” Goofy held a hand up in his oath. “Now, what's the secret?”

Mickey quickly changed the subject so as to not have an aneurysm. “Horace doesn't know anythin' about girls, and I know you don't, and there's no way I'm tellin' my old man about this. I need to find a guy who knows anything and everything about girls so I can win Princess Minerva over like my Pa did with my Ma! Or my Ma did with my Pa...whatever!” He shook his head hard, trying to stay on task. “Point is, I love her! And I gotta find someone who knows how to make her love me! We gotta think, Goofy!”

Goofy scratched his head, unable to come up with a direct answer. “Um...Gwarsh...It's too hot to think t'day. I could sure go fer a drink. Maybe we can drop by Panchito's place and get some?”

The prince's eyes lit up, and he jumped to his feet. “Goofy, you're a genius! Panchito is always surrounded by girls! His bar is crawlin' with ladies! Why, he's gotta know how to make a girl love ya! Let's go, before Horace realizes we gave him the double slip!”

“Okey-dokey, Mickey! Then can you tell me the big secret?”

~*~

Things had been quiet in the Moon Kingdom ever since the unusual birthday celebration, and that was exactly how people liked it to be. Society in the Moon Kingdom treasured quiet, and those that were noisy were seen as rude and vulgar. The less someone talked, the more valuable they became. In the days after her eighteenth birthday, Minnie had become incredibly valuable. The most anyone got of her was a smile and a 'huh'. But the silence came with a price, because she was barely aware of her surroundings anymore.

Donald had to lead Minnie away from falling down the staircases three times. Scrooge swore he saw her wearing her ballet shoes on the wrong feet more than twice. Even Queen Lune noticed when Minnie ate a napkin instead of her supper. Those in the castle chalked it up to Minnie's delicate nerves being rattled after those disgusting Suns ruined her party. The one who finally got to the root of the problem happened to be the loudest person in the kingdom.

"And then I was like, excuse me?" Daisy snorted as she recalled a previous argument, her hands braiding her superior's flowing hair. "And she was like, a-huh. And I was like, no way. And she was like, yes way!" By now Daisy could fix up Minnie's hair in her sleep, and hardly needed to look at where her fingers flew. "Honestly, can you believe the nerve of some people?"

If Minnie heard her, she didn't acknowledge it. Her eyes were cast downward, on the necklace that had been given to her just days ago. She was twisting it over in her hands, noting how the candlelight reflected off of it. Silently tracing a hand down the sun portion, she noted how it had the same color as Prince Mickey's fur, and much like him, managed to instill a sense of warmth upon those who looked. For the hundredth time that day, memories of the birthday resurfaced - how he had made such a dynamic entrance into the ballroom, his adorable and shy nature as he presented his gift, and the eagerness of every question he implored of her and her kingdom. A wistful sigh escaped her.

"Hello?" The duck wrapped a few hairs around her fingers, and gave a tiny tug. "Anyone home?"

Startled by the puny pain, Minnie glanced back at her attendant, eyes wide - had she done it again? "Oh...sorry, Daisy. Were you saying something?"

"That's it." The hair was let go. "You've been acting strange ever since your birthday! You're always quiet, you never pay attention, it's like you don't care about anything anymore!"

"Now that's not true." Minnie leaned back, looking for the right words to express her troubling emotions."It's not that I don't care, it's...just...certain things,seem more...no, seem less important." A pause. "Maybe I'm ill."

Daisy poked Minnie on her pink nose. "Talk to me."

The princess closed her eyes, using all of her energy to translate feelings to words. "Daisy, have you ever...felt...so happy, and so sad, at the same time?"

"Yeah, no, I'm going to need more than that." Daisy knelt before her royalty.

"There's a pain..." Minnie placed a hand to her chest. "Right here. Like a knot, that keeps being pulled, tighter and tighter. And, at the same time, I feel...at peace. As if I was missing something, and never knew it, and then, now, it's not missing anymore...I'm complete." Her hands clasped the necklace tightly. "I'm sad, but...at the same time, the sadness makes me happy. Does this make any sense?"

It didn't, at first, until Daisy looked at the necklace. Then, all at once, with grand and momentous clarity, she understood. _Oh, oh, oh, OH!_ Her hands covered the edge of her mouth, suppressing sudden excited giggles. Quickly, she had to make sure - doors were locked, windows were closed, they were entirely alone. Deep breathes were taken, oh, how she longed to throw her arms around her best friend who was close as a sister. But she had to calm down, and she exhaled hard, putting her hands down on her lap. "If I may, Minnie...remember that whole, huge, loud entrance the Prince of the Sun made on your birthday?"

Minnie's eyes opened at the ridiculousness of such a question. "Of course I do! Who could forget that?"

"Oh, not me, never..." Daisy's hands clenched her dress, containing her glee, wording each question carefully in her investigation. "He was certainly handsome, wasn't he?"

"Oh, very." The princess blushed in light shade, squirming slightly, suddenly embarrassed for reasons she couldn't fathom.

"And an excellent dancer, I couldn't help but notice."

"Yes! He learned so quickly!"

"And quite kind to you."

"The kindest! Oh, Daisy, you should have heard the talk we had!"

The servant scooted in closer. "Left a big impression on you, did he?"

"He would have on anybody!" The princesses' hands were everywhere as she expressed her memory. "The things he said! The jokes he told! He was ever so funny! And, and he was so modest about himself! And he really wanted to know all about the kingdom, he had all of these wonderful questions! And the way he described his home, it was like I was there!"

Daisy was now beside her, one hand to Minnie's shoulder. "And the way he smiled."

"Yes, his smile, oh, goodness, yes, it was like he was the sun itself! No matter how cold it gets here, all I have to do is think of that smile, and I'm as hot as a fire!" She didn't appear to notice she was rambling, nor the coy look her friend was sporting. "And...and he was so gentle, too, his hands were so calloused, but they felt like silk."

Now Daisy's head was on Minnie's shoulder. "His eyes."

"So deep. So easy to get lost in..." The princess almost looked like she was melting into her dress. "It's like you can stare forever...so blinding, but so beautiful..."

The duck reached over to pluck the necklace out of her mistress's hands. "Wouldn't it just be grand to talk to him again?"

"Just grand." With the way Minnie's voice was going, Daisy knew she'd have to get to the point soon, lest she lose the princess again to daydreams.

"And to dance with him again?"

"Mm-hmm." An absent nod, she'd be gone any second now.

So Daisy came to it. "And everything else lovers do."

Minnie had just been about to close her eyes again, when the L-word struck her hard. Eyes wide, she whirled her head to stare at her friend, and the loudest shriek she ever uttered erupted. "What!"

Daisy pulled back, grinning wildly, hands rubbing together. "Do I have to spell it out for you? You're in love with him!"

"No!" The white of Minnie's fur only made the red of her blush stand out even more. "No, that's impossible! He's a - "

"You love him!"

"But I'm a - "

"You love him!"

"It could never - "

The handmaiden grabbed Minnie by the shoulders, shaking her with each word. "You! Love! Him!"

Though Minnie shook her head back and forth wildly in protest, she knew each denial was fruitless. Everything she knew about lovers - how they longed for each other's company, how they desired to make the other happy, how life was not full unless it was spent at the other's side - everything she had ever read about it, heard about it, seen about it, it was all coming together in mind and body to define what she felt towards the young prince.

"A forbidden love." Daisy released her, laughter bubbling forth. "I always wondered what your first love was going to be like... and you had to go and love the Prince of the Sun! That's my Minnie!"

The princess put her hands on her cheeks, unable to look at her friend. "I didn't mean to! It...it just happened!"

Daisy stopped her dance and brushed her dress down. "The heart wants what it wants. Forget your birthday, _this_ will go down in history! The wedding of the Sun and the Moon!"

"Wedding?!" Minnie gazed up at her, aghast. "Don't be silly! We could never be together... Mother almost had a heart attack with him just being here for an hour! And... and besides, how could someone like that ever love me? You saw those dancing girls he brought with him, they were so pretty - "

"And they all left." Daisy grabbed Minnie's hand, trying to get her to stand. "And with all that gabbing you two did, he totally would have mentioned a girlfriend if he had one. Now, up, up, up, we haven't a moment to spare!"

Minnie was up. "What - what are you - "

"I know just who to ask for advice on wooing the forbidden!" Daisy was already dragging her reluctant princess to the door, ignoring all cries to stop. "Just you wait and see, that prince is going to beg for you before you know it!"

In an attempt to regain some sense of control, Minnie dug her heels into the floor. “Daisy, I demand you explain yourself! I can't go anywhere, Donald's lessons start in an hour!”

“Oh, those can wait.” Daisy spun Minnie around twice before catching her shoulders. “The real lessons are waiting for you out there! First, we go the natural route of how to woo a man, and then, the supernatural!”

The princess was certain her vertigo wasn't just from the spinning. “You're not making any sense at all! Now, see here.” She managed to waddle her way back into the bedroom and flopped onto her fluffy pillow. “I can't go into the kingdom whenever I feel like it.” She cast a glance at Daisy and saw her puffy pouted cheeks. It was rare that Daisy ever lost an argument, and Minnie felt today would be no different. “If we're going to do this, then... then we need to do it right. So we get in the least amount of trouble.”

Daisy was quickly gleeful again, and she skipped to Minnie's side. “We'll plan it down to the last detail! I know exactly where to go, and who to meet! We'll plan all day and night if we have to.” She then hugged Minnie again, chuckling into her hair. “Perhaps Donald and I can have a double wedding with you.”

Minnie closed her eyes. She was loathed to point out that Donald went out of his way to avoid Daisy and that her attraction seemed one-sided. Instead she sighed again. “Whatever you say, Daisy. It would be nice to see my people.” After all, there was no way someone like Prince Mickey would ever fall in love with her. He deserved someone as warm and exciting as he was. Adults fell in and out of love all the time and surely she'd find a way to fall out of it. She sighed for a third time, and felt the necklace shift along her body.

~*~

This particular bar in the Sun Kingdom had no official name, but instead went by many different titles. Panchito's Place, That Bar With The Chicks, Party Palace, but no matter what you called it, everyone knew what you were talking about when you mentioned it. It was the one place to go for good booze, good women, and a good time. Thus, in Prince Mickey's logic, it was the place to go to learn about women. Mickey and Panchito had often goofed around when the boy was playing hooky, and the rooster was always able to reduce any nearby female to a melted mess. Perhaps Panchito would know how Mickey could woo the fair princess.

The prince and his bodyguard calmly went through the front doors and music instantly blasted into their ears. Men were clashing mugs together, women were leaping from one table to another, and there was a strong smell of smoke. Mickey stood on the tip of his toes, trying to find the bird he had come to see. It didn't take long before he heard the sound of several bottles being smashed. There was Panchito, dancing along the rim of the barrels full of wine. Other patrons were trying to hit him with their glasses, but he continued dodge their assaults, all in good fun. When they ran out of ammo, he stood up tall, laughing with great heart.

"Maybe next time, boys!" he crowed, then jumped off the barrels. As always, he only wore a loose pair of pants, with belts dangling old pistols that were growing rusty. The rest of his body was bare, but when he spun, one could see the intricate tattoo on his back. Everyone in the Sun Kingdom's army, Goofy included, had a golden tattoo of the Phoenix on their back. It was made with a special ink that could be set aflame, making the warrior even deadlier. But for Panchito, the phoenix had split in two, as if two bodies were struggling to get away from one another. Mickey had always found it strange, but whenever he tried to ask Panchito about it, the rooster would change subjects without skipping a beat. 

Sticking two fingers in his mouth, Mickey whistled high, catching the attention of the bar owner. Panchito looked over and a delightful smile graced his beak. He shook his hips as he danced over, and when he was close enough, grabbed Mickey's hands and shook them wildly. "Mickey, my friend! And Goofy too! How good it is to see my dear _amigos_! Come, have a seat, have a drink, then we'll play a new game I invented! So far I keep losing."

"Thanks, Panchito, but, uh." the prince glanced around quickly, and then leaned in to whisper. "We were actually hopin' to talk to ya in private."

The bird frowned, having so rarely heard such a request from this mouse. But what of it? Questions and cares were for the boring. He shrugged, and turned around. "I'm sure I can find some place with privacy. Come, come!" He clapped his hands, and began to sashay away, with mouse and dog following him. Occasionally the rooster would blow kisses to the dancers, who would swoon in reply, then just as easily return to their motions.

Goofy followed Mickey, content to let his smarter friend do all the thinking, when an unusual sound caught his ears. It was bells, jingling bells, but what were bells doing in a bar? He turned his head as he walked, and found the source instantaneously.

A pretty poodle was dancing on a flat platform, a sash loosely dangling from her arms. There were bells on her ears, bells on her bracelet, bells on her anklets, and an uneven amount of bells on her hips. Like most women that danced in Panchito's bar, she wasn't afraid to show off her arms or stomach, and it seemed as if her silky pants would droop if she moved the wrong way. Her eyes were as yellow as fresh corn, but then Goofy wondered if it was right to link a girl to food. He suddenly became very aware of his staring, and even though she was clearly dancing in a way to garner attention, Goofy felt it was disrespectful that an ugly mug like he was watching such a beautiful woman. He moved his eyes to correct this.

“YAAAAA-HAHA-HOOOIE!”

But not in time to notice that he'd been walking towards the wine cellar, where he plummeted downward. Panchito and Mickey stopped when they heard Goofy's familiar holler, and Panchito clapped once in surprise. “What a clever fellow! We'll have perfect privacy in the cellar! But why didn't he just use the ladder?”

Mickey and Panchito climbed down into the cellar, and Panchito closed the top door to make sure no one would disrupt their conversation. Goofy had managed to realign his spine by the time his friends were at his side, and Panchito popped a cork off of barrel, filling up a wooden mug he'd brought along. “So,” Panchito said after a big slurp, “why does the Prince need me and privacy?”

Goofy sat up. “Oh boy, does this mean you're gunna tell us the secret, Mickey?”

Mickey gave Goofy a quick shove before giving Panchito his full attention. “Listen, Panchito, I need your help. But you can't tell anyone else. You promise?”

Panchito slapped a hand to his chest. “I promise upon the Phoenix, upon your father, upon your mother, and upon the sun in the sky!” The rooster was sometimes more ham than bird, but Mickey knew he could trust him.

“All right, Panchito. See, I'm in love...”

“How nice.” Panchito said, taking another drink of wine - 

“...with the Princess of the Moon Kingdom.”

\- that he promptly spat out all over Goofy's face. While Goofy rubbed the drink off, Panchito stared at his friend with a dropped jaw. “Perhaps...perhaps I have had too much booze today. I am almost thinking I heard you say you were in love with the Moon Princess.”

Mickey was nonplussed by the reaction, keeping his head high. “She's the one for me! I know it! I think about her all the time! She's there whenever I close my eyes! Can't you just... _forget_ about the Great War and help me out? If I can't be with her, I'm never gunna know happiness again!”

Panchito plugged the cork back in the barrel. He had a feeling no amount of alcohol would help with this. “'Forget the Great War', he says. You say this as if people can forget to breathe! Forget to walk! Once the people learn about this, _they'll_ certainly never know happiness again!”

“Aw, c'mon, Panchito, don't make me beg!” Mickey looked to Goofy for help, but the bodyguard was preoccupied, trying to hear those bells again. Left on his own, Mickey clasped his hands together. “Whatever the people think, I can deal with it in the future, when I become king! I don't need everyone to know about how I feel, just her! Isn't there any way you can help me win her love? Any way at all?”

The rooster went silent, his back to Mickey, tapping his bare fingers on a full barrel. He had his own secrets about the war, things he wanted to forget, but he was a man of his word. “I need time to think about this.” He clicked his tongue to his beak. “But, for today, just for today, I suppose I can give you one piece of advice about women.”

The prince smiled. “I'm all ears!”

Panchito tossed the mug over his shoulder, and faced Mickey, his chest puffed out. “When it comes to women...once you have her in your sights...you must never give up the chase!” It should be noted that this was terrible advice. “Even if she shows no interest, don't back down! Refuse to take no for an answer!” Absolutely awful advice. “You must chase and chase and chase, because that is what all women want!” It was really the worst advice anyone could give to another about dating.

But Panchito was very drunk, and Mickey and Goofy were clueless to dating, so to everyone in the room this seemed like sage wisdom – save for one person who the three were unaware of.

“I gotcha!” Mickey grabbed Panchito's hands and shook them enthusiastically. “I won't give up the chase! Just you wait, Panchito, she'll be mine! And you'll be...well, you can't be best man at the weddin', that's gunna be Goofy's job. But we'll find somethin' for you!”

Panchito and Mickey laughed, Goofy joining in without getting the joke. Eventually they climbed out to rejoin the festivities upstairs, leaving the accidental eavesdropper alone. A pudgy hen named Clara Cluck had only been there to deliver wine from her family's vineyard, but instead she wound up with the biggest secret in the kingdom. She poked her head out from behind the wine barrels, and gulped audibly. She wasn't supposed to drink during her deliveries, but she was starting to think today was one big exception.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Used storybits again cause I'm a CHEATER.
> 
> Diga Diga Doo is from a Tokyo DisneySEA show.
> 
> As Mickey and Minnie both gaze on the moon, I often think of "How Many Stars" from the broadway musical Bombay Dreams.
> 
> As always, major thanks to Drucilla and BlueShifted for their editing skills during vacay!

Pete Black wasn't a smart man, and he knew this. Instead, his greatest strength was literally his strength. He'd been at his most useful during the heyday of war, when he could clobber a crowd of filthy Suns with one swing of his arm. His fellow soldiers would praise his victories, making him feel as if maybe he was greater than the average man. Pete didn't even care if they ever won the war. What mattered to him was the there and now, being useful, and being adored.

Then came the final battle that no one would have guessed was final. Pete could remember it with less clarity every passing day, but he'd never forget the sight of his brothers cowering before the so-called 'god' in the sky. Maybe if they had ignored its orders and continued fighting, the day's battle would have been theirs. Just because it could magically spring up a forest out of nowhere didn't mean it could kill them all. Pete's logic often went that way – unless someone proved it could be done, you should never take them at their word. Instead, everyone fled with their tails between their legs, and now Pete was stuck in the age of boring, useless peace.

Years without proper battle had made him heavy, and today he put a hand on his stomach to gauge how large he'd become since last year. Every extra pound was a reminder of how worthless he was. He grumbled and growled about this, but faint footsteps made him pause in his usual quiet loathing. Princess Minerva and her handmaiden Daisy Duck were walking out the castle doors, with set destinations clear in their eyes.

Pete sucked in a hard breath. “And where do you two think you're goin'?” He wasn't going to endure another harrowing lecture from Queen Lune if he could help it.

“And a good afternoon to you, Pete,” Daisy snappily replied, while Minnie had the courtesy to curtsy. “We're going out. We've got important business!”

“Oh no you don't.” Pete stood in front of the ladies, arms crossed. “I remember how mad the Queen got at me cause I didn't ask what kind of emergency the princess had! You're not pullin' one over n Pete Black again!”

Minnie cast a quick glance to Daisy, trying to remember her lines. “Oh, we wouldn't dare try to trick you, Pete. You're far too smart to fool.”

“And we have every intention of telling you what our emergency is,” Daisy added, trying not to turn a charming smile into a devious smirk. “We're going to José Carioca's nightclub, Rivers Run Wild.”

“All righty then.” Pete stepped aside, feeling his obligation complete. “You have a good day now, your Highness, Miss Duck.”

Minnie almost thanked him, but Daisy grabbed the princess by the wrist and dashed off. She knew they had to be quick, although perhaps not as quick as she worried. It took Pete a full five minutes to realize the issue with Minnie leaving wasn't about what kind of emergency she had - it was that Minnie wasn't supposed to leave at all. 

“WHY YOU ROTTEN LITTLE LADIES, I OUGHT TO-” Pete took three steps, intending to chase after them, before remembering he wasn't supposed to leave his post. He wildly looked to where the girls had run, then to the castle doors, back and forth, hands on his head, at a loss for what to do. He wasn't a smart man, but at that moment, he would have traded all his muscles for extra brains.

Minnie felt guilty for leaving Pete in that position. “We'll have to apologize to him when we get back.”

Since they were far enough away from the castle, Daisy slowed their frantic race into a leisurely stroll. “I'll send him a basket of fruit. Now forget about him, we have a special mission today. After all that planning, we have to get something out of this trip.”

It was easy for the two of them to walk in the kingdom unnoticed. Since Minnie was rarely allowed outside the castle walls, the townsfolk had only a faint guess as to what she looked like. The nobles that attended her birthday party would stop and squint, but then move on with their business because, surely, her Highness wouldn't be out and about, mingling with the common folk. Despite this, Minnie was afraid to look around, lest her eyes meet with someone who could connect the dots. She kept her voice low as well. “Are you sure it's okay to skip my ballet lessons for this?”

“First, you are a perfect dancer, so skipping one lesson won't hurt you.” Daisy felt free to talk as loudly as she desired. This was one of many things that made her an annoyance to the stiff upper lips of the Moon Kingdom. Proper ladies should be seen and not heard. Despite being a technical Queendom, women had extra rules that men didn't adhere to, and few questioned this, save for Daisy.“Second, ballet is not going to help you win Prince Michael's heart.”

“Mickey,” Minnie corrected, but then blushed heavily as she realized she said that. “Well, that's what he likes to be called. But I'm only doing this because of you. He could never love someone like me, so this José person will just be wasting his time.” Though it pained her to say this, it was the truth, and there was no getting around it. There was no reason for Mickey to love her. Minnie didn't even love herself, so why should anyone else? It never occurred to her that other people didn't feel this way about themselves. But then other people hadn't been isolated in a cold castle for years, with company that was there on orders instead of affection. 

Daisy grabbed Minnie by the hand and urged her to walk faster. “Someone like you? You mean someone who's beautiful, and kind, and smart, and funny, and the best friend anyone could ever ask for? But sure, let's ignore the fact you're the perfect catch. What about your feelings?”

Minnie shrugged and lowered her eyes. “My feelings don't matter.”

This time Daisy yanked Minnie by the hand in order to draw her close. “You are the most frustrating person I have ever adored. Of course your feelings matter! I won't hear anymore of this. We will talk to José, and he will help you win over Mickey, and then you'll get married, and I'll catch the bouquet and marry Donald.” She gave Minnie a short hug, and then proceeded to march towards a simple white building with no noticeable features, save for the initials RRW carved above a wooden door.

The princess bit back a sigh, deciding any further arguing was useless. She longed to see Mickey again, to hear his voice and learn of his home, but these were selfish wants. An excitable boy didn't need to be burden by the feelings of a morose princess. He should have someone who could dance and sing like he did. Minnie had told Daisy this repeatedly over many days, and not only had it not worked on Daisy, it hadn't worked on herself either. No matter how much she detailed the logic and reasons behind her infatuation, it only seemed to increase instead of vanish. 

Daisy knocked three times, and a slit in the door opened, showing off golden eyes. “Password,” said a quiet female voice.

“Have you ever been to Bahia?” Daisy replied automatically.

The slit closed and the door opened. Daisy continued to hold Minnie's hand and led her inside the nightclub, of which Minnie still wasn't entirely sure what it was. According to Daisy, Rivers Run Wild was a private place where the lazier members of the Moon Kingdom could relax with intoxicating drinks and listen to music that followed no rules. Daisy had once dated the club owner, José Carioca, for a brief week in a failed attempt to make Donald jealous, and yet that had earned her a lifetime pass.

Plush seats were built into the walls, and round ivory tables held drinks containing every color of the rainbow. Plump ladies let loose their sleeves, daringly allowing their shoulders to breathe. Men spoke in both whispered hushes and loud cries, amazed over stories true and false. A petite band kept to themselves in a corner, ready to spring into action if someone called for them, but content to lay there and wait. Flimsy teal curtains framed an open stage, waiting for anyone to come and sing if they so choose. Whether you wanted to relax or you wanted to party, it was entirely up to you.

“Goodness,” Minnie finally said, “I don't think I see anyone with a straight spine at all.”

Daisy chuckled, waving a hand about. “It's one of the few places where you can just be yourself, and everyone needs to try that once in a while.”

“I couldn't have said it better myself, _señora._ ” That came from a man sitting by himself on a fluffy purple chair, a faint trickle of water dripping onto him from the ceiling. The green parrot smiled, tipping his feathered cap once before hopping off the chair. After adjusting his frock, he leaned over to kiss Daisy on the cheek. “My own walking advertisement, how much I've missed you. Yes, Rivers Run Wild expects you to do the exact same. We can only ever be ourselves, so why try to pretend otherwise? Not everyone is a born actor.”

Minnie wasn't entirely sure she understood, but she curtsied anyway. “You must be José Carioca. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“The pleasure is all mine, my beauty.” José took her hand, intending to kiss her gloved knuckles, but a flicker of recognition made him blink. He blinked hard several more times to make sure this vision was correct, and then he turned to Daisy, raising an eyebrow. “Is this who I think it is?”

“It very well could be,” the handmaiden chirped, having already thought of a few code words here and there to make this easier. “And she's in dire need of your assistance. You've had more girlfriends than I have feathers, and she has a boy problem that's out of this world.” She caught Minnie ready to object and talked faster. “So will you please, please, _please_ help her out?”

José pulled back, amusement written all over his face. “Who am I to refuse a lady in need? Let's have a seat.” As he walked, he passed by the musicians, and snapped his fingers. “I need you guys to play a loud one...how about Diga Diga Doo?”

The men and women nodded, before making their trumpets and drums explode with flavor. The club-goers snapped to attention, and several of them moved to the floor to shake about. With the noise as cover, the trio took a comfortable private seat near the open bar.

Though the three were being ignored and drowned out, Minnie continued to check the door, expecting someone to barge in and discover the forbidden topic they were discussing. She glanced that way continuously, wondering if somehow one of the club singers would listen in, or that Donald would find them, or - even worse but more implausible - her mother would personally search for her. It took Daisy grabbing Minnie by the shoulders and forcing her down in the plush seats for the princess to pay full attention. José began calmly smoking a cigar he had previous hidden in his sleeve.

“So, this girl,” Daisy started off, gesturing to Minnie while still holding her with one hand. “Who may or may not be who you think she is? She had a big birthday party with a special guest. She fell in love with this guest, and wants this guest to love her. What do you think?”

Silence hung in the air, save for the occasional drip of water from the ceiling to the floor, which was a common occurrence in many of the Moon Kingdom's buildings. If you had more water in the house, it was seen as a blessing from the Moon god, the Rabbit.

José then sighed heavily, removing the cigar from his mouth and tapping a few ashes onto a clean blue plate. "So, if I have this right… our little... let's say, _rainha_. She was so enchanted when that special Sun guest came to see her for her birthday that she is now longing to have his heart, all to herself?"

"Precisely!" Daisy clapped once in agreement, releasing her hold on Minnie. "She wants to become Mrs. Sun!"

"Daisy, please!" Minnie's cheeks were beyond crimson at this point, as her fists tightened on her deep blue dress. She avoided eye contact with both birds, thoroughly embarrassed and still paranoid that anyone passing by room could hear them. "She's exaggerating…that's why we're here, because she's taking things way too far." Not that she held it against Daisy, it was one of the reasons Minnie had chosen the duck as her personal handmaiden. Daisy was fun and excitable, a welcome change from the stiffs in the castle. However, for such a serious matter, Minnie did wish for some decorum and restraint. At least José was behaving rationally. "I really am sorry for wasting your time."

José lifted an eyebrow, twirling the cigar between his fingers. "You don't love the 'guest'?"

"Yes she does!" Daisy almost sprung out of her seat, wildly gesturing with her arms, adamant in aiding her best friend through ridiculous means. "She's head over heels, she's fallen hard, she's ga-ga, she's-"

The parrot cleared his throat, cutting off any further descriptions. “ _Señora_ , how I love to hear the sound of your voice. But, I think for this matter, it is best to hear from the source." He favored her with a charming smile, and Daisy humbly sat back down. José was a master of women and romance, known throughout the kingdom for all the hearts that belonged to him, and Minnie could understand why Daisy thought he was the perfect person to go for such an intriguing matter of love. Who else could get Daisy to calm down with a mere smile and flattery?

Minnie timidly raised her eyes, now that it was her turn to speak. Was she in love with Mickey? Most definitely. The more she thought about the very concept of love, the more she admitted that she was completely swallowed by it. That had become oddly easy to admit, so she shook her head. "I…I've never felt this way about anyone before." But that wasn't the issue, nor why they were here. She smiled sadly, easing her grip on her dress. "But I know that's all it can ever be. We're from two different worlds. Someone like him..." Someone as handsome, warm and fun-loving as Mickey, the very essence of the sun itself, that was never meant to be held by the arms of a cold, serious child of the moon. "He's used to a different kind of woman. We all saw those dancers he brought." Those gorgeous, tall, slim figures that exposed scandalous amounts of skin and fur! The sensual way they danced, as if they intended to seduce all eyes that fell upon them! Those were the women of Mickey's kingdom, and Minnie could not even dream of competing, not with her slow ballet movements, and not with her tight royal dresses that covered her neck to ankles. "He could never…no, he deserves better."

Daisy whined softly though still didn't speak, reaching over to brush some loose strands of white hair from Minnie's face. José moved from his seat, then knelt in front of Minnie, delicately taking her hand. " _Rainha_ , those who obey you do not just live in your 'house'. I am your willing servant, and there is no command to which I will not rise. Your happiness is my happiness, and I cannot rest knowing you are burdened with longing. Give the order, and I will ensure that the prince shall love none other than you."

Minnie faintly put a hand on her chest, touched by the devotion and praise bestowed upon her, which she felt she did not deserve. “You…really think you can?"

There was a glint in José's eyes, something mischievous and daring. "What we have here is perfect." He then stood, moving his cigar around as if it were a valiant sword. "Do you know what men long for, more than anything in the world?" The girls exchanged a look, shrugged, and then looked to him for the answer. "The thrill of the hunt! The never ending chase! The chance to seize what you cannot have!" All of his calmness and coolness was shoved away, replaced with a startling vigor that rivaled Daisy's enthusiasm. "What you must do is give him a taste, then refuse it, deny it, ignore it, and then he will crave for more!"

Minnie tried to ask him what he meant by that, but Daisy had once more gotten out of her seat, getting caught up in the dramatics. "I get it! Show him what's there, and make him realize he can't get everything he wants…it'll drive him insane!" Much like Panchito's words of wisdom, this was absolutely horrible advice. 

" _Si!_ Insane with passion!" José jumped onto his table, kicking aside the plates, perhaps ignorant of Minnie's stunned expression. "All men are hunters! They love the chase! If you give them what they want right away, they’ll lose interest right away… So let the chase begin! Make him run for you! Make him work for your affection! Don’t even notice he’s there, until he demands to be seen! His blood will boil! His mind will reel! We shall ensure that even in his sleep, he dreams of capturing the elusive moon! You must keep saying no, no, no! Don't spare him a glance until he's desperate!" This was not advice that should be held to anyone's sane standards.

Minnie weakly held up her hands, hoping to make the birds slow down. It looked like José was just as crazy as Daisy! "W-wait, I think you misunderstood…"

She was ignored as Daisy joined José on top of the table. "If he can't have her, no one can! He'll turn into a fierce animal, hunting down his prey!" José and Daisy joined hands, dancing on the table. "And then, when he has her!"

"When he has her!" José echoed, while Minnie held her cheeks that now could rival the healthiest tomatoes. "He won't let her go! He will make sure she belongs to him, in a fiery, white hot blaze!" He then jumped off the table, throwing an arm around Minnie, and spreading a hand out in front of him, trying to make her visualize the conquest. "Rainha, I guarantee the 'guest' will be desperately in love with you!"

"Des-Desperately-" This was too much for Minnie's mind to handle, and now her imagination was catching up with the words. She had thought love to be a quiet and cute thing, the sweet moment where you held your lover close, but these words weren't for the faint of heart. What was it like to be 'desperately' in love? To what extremes would a person go when they felt that way? Her dress felt tighter, almost cutting off her air. The people of the Sun were rumored to be 'spur of the moment' types, those that acted without too much thought, and did what they pleased when they felt like it. A person like that in love could be a terrifying thing.

"He'll beg just for a chance to kiss your feet!" Daisy stayed on top of the table, giddy as the nonsensical plan developed, but then paused in contemplation. “Say, do the people of the sun kiss differently?"

"You would not believe the rumors I hear!" José wagged his cigar at her, the smoke creating a blanket of secrecy. "They do not wait for marriage to start the good stuff! I hear even on the first date of courtship, they go straight for the tongue!"

While it can be said that the Moon Kingdom was stuffier and more old fashioned than those of the Sun, they were not complete prudes. They just saved the 'deeper' things for a more intimate relationship. However, when it came to the princess, she had been sheltered by her mother and tutor, so that her strongest ideas of dating were holding hands and short little kisses. It had never occurred to Minnie that any of that could involve a tongue. Now her mind was ablaze with images of Mickey doing unwholesome things with his unwholesome tongue and then she was gone. José quickly caught her as the princess fell in a red faint, half expecting steam to come out of her ears.

Daisy slid off of the table, picking up a dropped napkin and trying to fan her friend back to life. "I think we may have to come back later." She wasn't too worried. Things would definitely progress. She was rarely wrong when she was this confident in something.

~*~

While Minnie was recovering from her fainting spell miles away, Pete was close to fainting as well. He had been called to see the Queen and he believed he knew why. The princess was gone again and it was all his fault. This time there would be no stern lecture, since he never heard of someone daring to go against the queen more than once. Would he be imprisoned for a million years? Stripped of his armor and made to show his shame to the people? Banished from the kingdom for all eternity?

Queen Lune sat in her throne, Scrooge McDuck loyally at her side. Pete thought he saw a shadow behind the window curtains, but it was gone in moments. Pete bowed respectfully, going through a list of excuses in his head. Not one of them put him in a good light.

“Pete Black.” Queen Lune spoke, her voice like cold water dripping down his fur. “Ever since Princess Minerva's invitation fiasco - which happened on your watch-” she bitterly added. Pete bit hard on his lip. As if he'd forget! “I have given great thought to the security of our kingdom and of my daughter. I have decided to make a change to how things are done.”

Oh boy, here it came. He'd been openly disrespectful to both Queen and Princess before, and had gotten away with it by a combination of his prestige in the war and sheer dumb luck. But both of these things could only take a man so far. Pete clasped his hands together, ready to throw himself at the mercy of the Queen, if she had any. “L-Look, your Highness, I can explain what happened today-”

“And so, I am assigning you a partner.”

Pete's mouth hung open but no words came out. There was no way he was this lucky. “Uh... a partner?”

“All castle guards will now be working in pairs of two,” Queen Lune continued explaining. Pete wasn't sure if she'd heard or even acknowledged he had said anything at all. “Many of the castle guard are former soldiers from the war, and age has not been kind to them. I believe younger minds and fresh blood can keep up with anything my daughter may do. You will be the first to have a partner, as a sort of trial run.”

The large cat took a moment to think about this. Pete already had so little work to do, and now it'd be cut in half? But maybe he could brag about his war stories to this new recruit. Maybe someone would like him again. “Whatever you say, your Highness!” He tried to take this extra lucky break and cheer it on. “Who's my partner?”

“I AM THE TERROR THAT FLAPS IN THE NIGHT!”

The shadow that Pete thought had been nothing was more than something. A small flurry of blue smoke erupted next to Pete, and the shadow stood in it. “I am the leaky pipe that keeps you up at night! I... AM DARKWIIING D-OW!”

The newcomer had intended to announce himself as Darkwing Duck, but Scrooge and his cane had something to say about that. “That's how you introduce yourself to royalty?! Who raised you?”

Even as the smog cleared, Pete didn't need it to in order to know who this was. Drake Mallard was an unpopular vigilante who took it upon himself to solve crimes and fight criminals that the guards couldn't catch in time. Even though he was rather good at saving the day, the day didn't need saving all that often. His ego was the size of a small planet, his clothes were loose and outlandish, and worst of all, he was loud. If there was one thing the Moon Kingdom was intolerant of, it was noise.

“You've gotta be kiddin' me!” Pete barked, struggling not to make too much noise himself. “You're pairin' me up with Drake the dweeb?”

“I feel so welcome,” Drake muttered, managing to find his footing. For reasons Pete couldn't even begin to fathom, the well-known duck was wearing a fabric mask around his eyes and an overly large fedora. “And I was just trying to say, when I'm in this outfit, I am Darkwing Duck! Hero of the Moon Kingdom! Wielder of Justice, and the greatest enemy of evil!”

“...You're pairin' me up with Drake the dweeb?”

Queen Lune held up a hand, ordering silence. “I understand his methods are unusual. But he has filled up the dungeon with several miscreants who tried to do others harm. I want you to show him the layout of the castle and inform him of everyone's schedules. Like it or not, I don't care. You are partners now, and you will be civil.”

Drake grinned a victorious, cheshire-like expression at Pete before addressing the Queen, a hand on his heart. “Rest assured, my Queen! I will protect Princess Minerva like she's my own daughter! I mean, my other daughter. The daughter that is not mine – You get the idea! She will not leave my sight!” He waited for the Queen to thank him, but she remained stoic. “Oookay fine. Tough crowd.” He cleared his throat, and slapped Pete on the arm. “I'm going to need to know exactly every detail in every single room, right down to how many tiles are on the ceiling! Onward, sidekick!”

Pete wondered if this was some sort of punishment from the Queen, but he didn't dare voice this thought. “Call me sidekick again and you'll be eatin' that hat.”

For a moment, it looked as if the matter was settled, as Pete and Drake headed towards the nearest hallway. But to even Scrooge's surprise, Queen Lune called out. “Wait.”

Pete halted, casting a look behind him. Drake turned around, arms crossed, ready for an apology about not acknowledging his aid.

Queen Lune faltered, though it was so quick none of the men realized she'd done so. She swallowed a batch of spit, unsure of how to make this subject seem natural. “What do either of you know about a man named Mortimer Rodawn?”

Pete merely shrugged, the name unfamiliar to him. Drake whipped out a small notebook from his vest and flipped through full pages. “Mortimer Rodawn, age twenty-five, a scholar that specializes in history. No criminal record, but he was once very rude to a waiter.”

The Queen had been looking for more emotional information than analytical, but she changed her mind. “Go. You are dismissed.”

Pete and Drake left successfully this time – although from the sound of things, Drake would soon be having his fedora for lunch – but Scrooge stayed with his mistress. “I remember that name. Wasn't he one of the princess' playmates when she was a child? Is that someone you're considering to be her husband?”

Scrooge was one of the few people Queen Lune felt comfortable enough to be honest with. “Considering, Sir Scrooge. For now, only considering.”

~*~

Night had fallen over the Sun Kingdom and Mickey couldn't sleep. Goofy was having no such trouble, snoring loudly out in the hallway. Mickey was staring at the moon, thinking about Minnie, Minnie, Minnie. Panchito's advice had sounded good, but when was Mickey supposed to put it in practice? Did he have to wait another full year before being formally invited? Would the Queen even allow such a thing to happen?

There were too many factors preventing his next visit. Mickey gazed at the moon, as he had so many nights before, but on this very night he met his limit. No, he couldn't wait. He wouldn't.

~*~

The balcony outside of the princess’s room was fitted with stairs to the side, so if she wished, she could go into the royals' private wet marsh gardens. Tonight Minnie had no interest in such an activity, and instead kept her eyes on the wide moon up in the sky. When the moon was full, the kingdom’s people believed that the their god, he wise Rabbit, could hear the prayers of its people. Until this point, Minnie had never prayed to the Rabbit for anything. What could she possibly want? She had her dear mother, a wonderful friend, and as a princess she was constantly provided for. Before her birthday, she’d never needed to pray or want for anything.

But then her birthday had come, and now she wanted, and so now she prayed. Her hands were clasped tightly together, keeping the image of the handsome Prince of the Sun in her mind. Minnie wouldn’t be as selfish as to pray for his love – as tempting as the idea was – and only begged the Rabbit to let her see him again. _Just one more time_ , she thought, and maybe her heart wouldn’t ache so heavily. Her greatest fear was that she would someday forget his image, even if it was currently impossible. Minnie could clearly hear his voice, that high amused tone that talked so rapidly about his homeland - she could feel his touch, warmth that radiated from every strand of fur on his body - and those eyes - those _eyes_ -

Who was she kidding? Minnie wasn’t going to be satisfied with one look. She craved more. She wanted to have long conversations with him, to see the exciting kingdom he hailed from, and her entire body slumped forward, since she knew these things were beyond even the reach of a god. Mickey had only come to her kingdom thanks to her birthday invitation, and getting that invitation to him without her mother or anyone else figuring it out had taken all the miracles left in her life. Why would he come back? There were so many pretty girls in the Sun Kingdom, so much prettier than her, why should he bother with such a small, undeveloped little girl like her?

 _Perhaps_ , Minnie thought, _I should pray for these feelings to go away_. She immediately regretted that train of thought, and shook her head hard, her long white hair smacking against her face. Since it was time for bed, her lustrous locks were allowed to stray down, creating a pool of marble around her. Minnie would not ask that these feelings be removed. As tortuous as they could be, she did not want to forget Mickey. She did not want to forget their dance. She did not want to forget the way he had touched her cheek and chin, the quirky goodbye gesture from his land. She fondly touched her cheek, remembering how even when saying goodbye, he had seemed so cheerful, as if nothing could ever douse his flame.

With her elbows on the balcony’s edge, she dropped her head in her hands, allowing herself to stay lost in good memories. Maybe she would go down into the gardens before going to bed. Just for a little swim, so she could float and remember and pray. She looked down at the gardens.

And there Mickey stood.

Minnie stared so hard she wouldn’t have been surprised if her eyeballs rolled out of her head. She blinked hard once, twice, three times, and yet there he was. He was in the driest part of the marsh gardens, and even then he had gotten his feet wet, much to his annoyance. He pulled his robe up – it was long and red, trailing behind him for a ways, leaving his chest and stomach casually exposed. The ends of his robe were getting soaked, and he gave up on trying to keep it away from the water. The gardens were home to long stretches of streams, so grass and mud were a constant companion to those lost within it as Mickey was.

Minnie quickly stood up straight, shaking with hard tremors. What was he doing there? How did he get into the kingdom without being spotted? Yes, it was night, and most of the kingdom were in their beds by now, but surely someone like Mickey would have stood out like a sore thumb, if only by his exposed fur alone. And speaking of exposed fur – Minnie was in her lacy white nightgown that exposed, goodness gracious her arms! Her hair was down! She wasn’t wearing any make-up! Good heavens! She panicked in place, wondering what was most important to do – the make-up, the hair, or the attire. Why in the world had the Rabbit answered her prayer now? Couldn’t it have waited until she at least had on one of her proper gowns? What would Mickey think, seeing her so-so-so bare?

Mickey was currently thinking he might catch a cold, after being in these soaked clothes. It seemed with every new step he took, he was going to take a swimming lesson. Perhaps this was a challenge, sent to him the Phoenix. If he wanted to be with Minnie, then he had to work for it. Well! Well! Well!, he thought. Mickey was not one to be outdone so easily. He’d already made it this far, and he puffed his chest out, determined to see this dangerous mission to its end. Though, as his eyes trailed over the incredibly large castle, he realized a much more difficult challenge was ahead of him. How was he supposed to find the princess without being caught in there? It wasn’t going to make him turn back, no, no, but it was certainly going to be tricky. He looked for doors and windows, and found the balcony –

Praise the Phoenix!

Mickey saw Minnie, and Minnie saw Mickey looking at her, and time stood still, much like when they had first seen one another on her birthday. Happiness seized the breath in their throats, and meticulous time was taken to memorize how the other looked, and it was because of this deep and distant look that Minnie remembered her lack of formal wear. Her cheeks were conquered by red, and to make things worse – better? – Mickey’s expression had turned into a great, wide, glorious smile. He was happy to see her. Even her constant doubt and lack of self-confidence could not deny this fact. He was _happy_ to see _her_.

How long did she plan on standing there, shaking like a leaf? She couldn’t waste this chance, for who knew when it would come again? She was still in some disbelief it was actually happening. As she made her way towards the stairs, she recalled José Carioca’s advice –

_“All men are hunters! They love the chase! If you give them what they want right away, they’ll lose interest right away… So let the chase begin! Make him run for you! Make him work for your affection! Don’t even notice he’s there, until he demands to be seen!”_

It should again be noted that this was terrible advice for many, many reasons. Of course, Minnie had no way of knowing this, being new to love, so she made her decision as she descended the stairway. She’d ignore him, and test him. A tiny part of her said this was very rude, but the loudest voice in her head wanted to be sure, to be absolutely sure, that he was happy to see her.

Mickey was feeling a similar rush of nervousness as he watched her come down. Here came the big chance. If only he had thought of something to say to her! This entire night had been on a whim, and now there she was, dainty and delicate and perfect, and the most he could think to say was ‘hello’, and even that was a struggle. He chided himself on his cowardice – he’d been wanting to see her again for days, surely he could think of something better to say than just ‘hello’. Come on, think!

 _‘What’s a good-lookin’ girl like you doin’ in a kingdom like this?’_ Oh, sure, if he wanted to start another war between the lands.

 _‘What a coincidence! I was just stoppin’ by!’_ That would go down in the history scrolls as the most obvious lie ever spoken.

 _‘You look nice.’_ An understatement, but it was a start.

Okay, he’d start with that. Girls liked compliments about their looks, right? And if he started on that, he had an endless list of things to say! Now brimming with confidence, he waited as she touched the last step, and…

She walked along the castle’s edge, away from him, not even giving him a second look.

… _Huh._

Mickey watched, dumbfounded at the brush-off. She saw him, didn’t she? Surely she must have seen him. What else would she have been looking at? He bit on his lower lip, and it was then he recalled Panchito Pistole’s advice.

_“When it comes to women...once you have her in your sights...you must never give up the chase! Even if she shows no interest, don't back down! Refuse to take no for an answer! You must chase and chase and chase, because that is what all women want!”_

Once more it should be noted that this was also terrible advice for many, many reasons. Yet just like Minnie, Mickey was clueless about the rights and wrongs of love. If she didn’t see him then, she’d certainly notice him now! Ignoring the sloshing of the wet swampland around him, he began heading for Minnie, determined to get her attention.

Minnie heard his squishing footsteps and her heart almost exploded. He really was coming after her, just like José said! Now she felt the urge to see how far she could push this, and she walked a little faster, hands on her chest. The very idea of Mickey chasing after her was making her blood race – he really did come here for her! He really was trying to get her attention! She swallowed down a delighted squeal.

Was it just Mickey’s imagination, or was Minnie picking up speed? How could anyone move like that in such murky grasslands? Was this another challenge from the Phoenix? Oh, he’d show that god, nothing would make Mickey give up! He tried to walk faster, and began to shout after his target. “H-Hey! Princess!”

He was calling after her! He was so determined! Minnie could die happy right then and there! She had captured his gaze and attention and his sole focus was on her and her alone! It wasn’t love, but goodness, it had to be something close. The urge to emit happy laughter was getting harder and harder to suppress, and maybe if she kept this up, he’d call her by name –

Instead of hearing her name, she heard a large splash, and a shocked yelp. Suddenly concerned, Minnie stopped in place and turned around. Mickey had tripped and landed in a particularly deep part of a small stream, and he sat, up to his stomach in water. “What kinda place is this anyway?!” Mickey snapped to no one in particular, feeling foolish.

Minnie quickly came over, worry taking over for the moment. “Oh, dear, are you all right?”

Mickey took off his shoes, finding no point in wearing them anymore. “Nothin’ hurt but my pride.” He paused, and then looked at Minnie – what do you know, there she was, finally paying attention to him. “Didn’t you hear me yellin’ after you?”

Minnie hesitated, but she lacked the power to lie. “Y-Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you stop?”

If he thought she was going to honestly admit why, he had another thing coming. Minnie couldn’t lie, but she could hold back the truth. “I-it was very silly of me, I suppose.”

“I’ll say!” Mickey managed to pull himself out of the water, and sat on the grass. He looked at his shoes, floating in the stream, and the absurdity of everything that had happened in the last couple of minutes really hit him. Unable to help himself, Mickey began to laugh loudly, a bellowing sound that ripped through the air, as powerful as he was. It was infectious, and it didn’t take long at all for Minnie to laugh as well, though hers was quieter, composed of tremors and hands over her face. They laughed until they had no air, and when they saw Mickey’s wet floating shoes, they collapsed into laughing fits all over again.

It was Minnie who managed to compose a sentence first, now on her knees beside Mickey, her hands politely in her lap. “Th-thank you for coming. It’s an honor to have you here, your Highness.”

Mickey leaned on his hands, going back. “Seein’ as I’m not supposed ta be here, I think we can drop the titles, Minerva.”

He did it! He called her by name! And he did it so easily, too! Even Daisy, Minnie’s trusted lady-in-waiting, was only supposed to call Minnie by her name in private, and there went Mickey, saying it as common as ‘this’ and ‘that’. “I-I-I couldn’t! We barely know each other, and…”

“That’s gunna change,” Mickey interrupted, wearing a cocky grin that Minnie adored. “I managed to get here without anyone catchin’ me…so I was thinkin’…we could meet up again like this! Y’know, our own little secret meetings.”

Minnie had so few secrets that the idea of having one between her and Mickey was agreeable right away. “Secret meetings…I can do that. I have a few secrets of my own.” That caused Mickey’s eyebrow to raise, and since she had his curiosity, she continued, feeling coy. “There are all kinds of old passageways in the castle…Daisy and I like to sneak through them sometimes. Donald hasn’t memorized them all yet, so he always takes forever finding us.”

“You sneak out too?” Mickey could barely comprehend it.

“Only a few times.” Minnie squirmed in place. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“Well yeah, 'cause-” Mickey cut himself off right away, not sure if it would be wise to answer in full. Yet Minnie's eyes born into him, and he couldn’t get out of it. “I-I just mean you don’t… seem like the type…”

“Then you’ve learned something new, haven’t you?” Minnie smirked, holding onto what little confidence she had, and she was rewarded by Mickey’s flummoxed face. Her self-assurance wouldn’t last long, it never did, but apparently it had the ability to entertain Mickey in new ways. She liked it.

Mickey gathered himself, sitting up straight. “That’s why I’m here, anyway! To learn! I wanna learn all about you…and your kingdom.” He added those last three words as quickly as his mouth could make it. As happy as he was to see her again, there was no need to jump ahead and admit she’d been on his mind forever. He hid his bout of shyness by making joking commentary, nose up. “It’s gotta be more fun than Horace’s old lessons. They’re so boring! I gotta memorize people who passed away a long time ago, and duties nobody cares about, and war tactics we’ll never use. I’ll tell you what!” Mickey slapped a hand to his leg. “When I become king, everything’s gunna be different! No more lessons, for starters! And then, I’m gunna tear down the forest.” He pointed from whence he came – between the kingdoms was the large forest, with trees so high you could see them from any point in either kingdom.

Minnie was impressed that he had plans for the future already. “You will? What for?”

“I’m gunna make a big path.” Mickey mimed it out, reaching wide and far. “So that our kingdoms will be connected! No more silly laws about forbidden contact. Everyone can visit either kingdom! And we’re gunna have parties every day! Why, I might just get rid of laws all together.”

“All of them?” Minnie asked, tilting her head. “What about stealing? And fighting?”

Mickey paused, his childish dream now poked with logical holes. “All right, so I still got some kinks to work out. But I’m definitely gunna connect our kingdoms, that’s not gunna change.”

Minnie was satisfied with that, and gave him a sweet smile. “That part sounds wonderful. I always thought it was silly that our kingdoms hate each other. How can I possibly be expected to hate people I don’t know?” She allowed herself to sit down, having long since forgotten her nightgown and all that it showed. “I’ve always wanted to learn more about the Sun Kingdom.”

“So it all works out!” Mickey declared, and he rubbed his hands together. “I wanna learn everythin’ about the Moon Kingdom!”

“Where do we start?”

“How about… why’s this garden so mushy?”

Minnie giggled, and began her explanation on the growth of plants in the Moon Kingdom, and that there was so much water because it rained so much, which turned into the two of them exchanging daily weather occurrences, then how their buildings were made to work with such weather, and then the shapes of their buildings, and how their kingdoms looked, and on, and on, and on.

They talked long into the night, not needing sleep, and the world was at peace. A boy and a girl talked about their homes, about their traditions, about their holidays, about their families, and yet it still wasn’t enough. Mickey would act out the roles of his people, with strident voices, while Minnie stayed in place, using only her words to fill Mickey’s imagination. Minnie laughed at his jokes, and Mickey applauded Minnie’s kindness, and if it was possible, they fell deeper in love. It was even possible they could have stayed in the moonlit garden for days, only needing the words of the other, lost in stories and memories.

But time cares not for love, and the sun began to crawl upwards, hints of reds and oranges starting to appear in the sky like stands of silk. Mickey saw the colors and was surprised. How could the sun be up already? Surely they had only just started talking! And they still had so much to say! Yet the world was going to start without them, and things had to be done, and princes and princesses had royal duties to attend to. Mickey and Minnie both watched the ominous sun peek up, and they knew their time was up. It truly was a shame – they had started to exchange their favorite desserts.

Mickey began to reluctantly stand, and Minnie emitted a squeak, wanting to grab him and have him continue his tale of hard candies that sparkled on your tongue. “Oh,” she sighed out. “W-when… will I see you again?”

“I dunno,” Mickey admitted, scratching his head. These sort of events couldn’t go exactly right all over again. He had to time things – slipping past guards and his tutor, bypassing citizens, jumping through the trees, and hiding in the shadows of the Moon Kingdom’s stores. It all took time, and it had all been done on a whim. Could whims be so easily repeated? “I suppose… I’ll just wind up here again, soon.”

Minnie understood that was the most that could be expected. She stood up, smoothing down her nightgown. “Then I’ll wait at my balcony, every night. I promise.” She held out her pinky, and waited. Mickey looked at her pinky, confused at the gesture, and Minnie quickly explained. “When two people lock their pinky fingers, it means they agree on a promise.”

A glint glowed in Mickey’s eyes, and by now Minnie knew that meant an idea was coming. “I like learnin’ about this place and all, but maybe we should come up with a few things that are just between you and me.”

Minnie liked the idea very much, but she kept out her pinky on instinct. “Like - like what?”

Mickey moved forward, and for half a moment Minnie thought - hoped? - he’d kiss her, but instead he picked up the necklace she was wearing. He held it in his palm, and then took Minnie’s hand, and laid it flat on top – so that their hands covered the joined moon and sun bauble. “Like this. Whenever we make a promise, we’ll make it on the necklace.”

“That’s wonderful!” Minnie swooned, and it really was. Mickey was such a clever boy. “I promise, I’ll wait for you on my balcony every night.” She squeezed the necklace gently, not wanting to risk breaking it. It had been the best birthday gift she’d ever gotten. He deserved a gift as well, and whispered, “And when you come back, you can call me...Minnie.”

Mickey returned the squeeze, able to feel Minnie’s fingers on his wrist. “I promise, every chance I get, I’ll come here. Minnie.” One day, he thought, when he was king, he’d get her more necklaces like this, and bracelets, and rings and tiaras, and everything she could possibly want. He’d strive for her happiness. Anything to see that smile that rested comfortably on her face, like the smoothest wave on a shore.

They parted, but they did not say goodbye, for they knew it was not the last time they’d see each other. They believed in each other and they believed in the power of promises. They did not even bother to watch the other leave – one through the marsh, the other up the stairs. All they would have to do now was wait, and their patience would be rewarded.

Once Mickey was in the forest and beyond, energy struck him like a lightning bolt. Joyous mirth spilled out of him, and for the rest of the day absolutely nothing could bring him down. He bounced off walls, hugged everyone he saw, even grumpy old Horace, and there was dancing and celebration and no one could get out of him just why he was so darn happy – except Goofy, of course. And when Goofy learned of his prince’s accomplishment, he joined in the merriment, tossing Mickey up and down, hooting and hollering.

As for Minnie, instead of getting dressed or going to the dining room for breakfast, she landed on her back on her bed, and giggled deliriously, hands on her necklace. Daisy had to drag Minnie everywhere for the rest of the day, where she continued to giggle and slump in place, losing the ability to control her muscles, making her a puddle of glee for the day. Donald at times wondered if someone had slipped something in Minnie’s food to keep her sedated, wishing someone had done the same thing to Daisy. When Daisy managed to figure out the reason behind Minnie’s gaiety, she made up for Minnie’s lack of movement by jumping around hysterically, declaring José’s plan a surefire success, and that she officially reserved the right to catch the bouquet at the eventual wedding.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those not in the know, Fethry is a character from the Disney comics, originating from Italy! Also, for those of you familiar with how I've used Millie before and wondering why she's so different personality wise... that's something to be revealed later, as are a dozen more questions this chapter will spring.
> 
> As always, big thanks to Drucilla and BlueShifted.

Clara Cluck's only official job was to deliver wine barrels from her family's vineyard to Panchito's bar, but in order to make extra coin, she would do little chores here and there for Panchito. As of late, she threw herself at whatever chore was available so she could distract herself, such as this morning when she was making breakfast for the dancers. Clara had made more bowls of rice than the girls could eat, so she decided to be the waitress as well, hurriedly going from table to table and putting down full bowls of fluffy rice.

Since it was so early in the morning, no one had come to party yet, as all the men were hard at work earning the money they would later throw at the girls' feet. As a result, the women could relax and be their true selves, burping loudly and scooping helpings of rice with their bare hands. Two women in particular were taking their time to eat, huddling together in the middle of the bar at a table they claimed as their own every day.

“I don't even have enough money for soy sauce!” the woman on the left whined, licking stray grains of rice off her fingers. This was the bell-decorated poodle Goofy had gazed upon days before – and had gazed upon days since, though she had yet to know this. “Either the guys are getting cheaper or I've gotten uglier.”

“They drink too much first, that's the problem,” responded the woman on the right, her best friend and confidant. She was a cat, with apple red hair that stuck out in soft points. Her outfits often played with the color of her hair, with appetizing red cloth hanging lackadaisically off her shoulders and hips. “See, they don't realize how much they're giving because they can't even see straight. Trust me, you're gorgeous, Millie.”

“Thanks, Peg.” Millicent Manchester had been a dancer longer than she was comfortable with. She had hoped her beauty would attract a high-standing man who would marry her, then spoil her forever so she never had to lift a finger. It was a desire for many dancers, which they failed to realize was why it was so difficult for them to land husbands. “But that makes it so much harder to land the best guy. How am I supposed to find Mister Moneybags if they all throw like cheapskates?”

“What you should do,” Peg said after grabbing another bowl off of Clara's nearby tray, “is be on the lookout for someone you automatically know has the goods. Like that bodyguard guy. I've seen him here almost every day for a week.”

Millie blinked slowly, trying to jog her memory through a horde of faces. “What bodyguard guy?”

Peg paused in eating. “You're telling me you didn't notice? Oh, honey!” She slapped an excited hand on the table, making the empty bowls jump. “This is great, this is fantastic. Okay, look! Prince Mickey has this bodyguard, named Goofy-”

“Goofy? That's not a name, that's an insult!”

Her feline friend narrowed her eyes. “You wanna marry poor, or you want me to finish?”

“Yeah, yeah, go ahead.” Neither Millie nor Peg had noticed how Clara had stopped her routines when she heard Prince Mickey's name in the conversation.

“Anyway, this guy, Goofy! I swear to the Phoenix, every day, I've seen him near the entrance poking his head in, eyes on you. Maybe he's shy or something.” Peg shrugged. “Kinda cute, I guess. But I like my guys with more muscle.”

Millie tapped her fingers on the table as she considered this. Logically, being the prince's bodyguard had to mean Goofy earned a considerable sum. But his so-called name didn't bode well. What was the point of marrying a guy if he was too slow in the head to pamper you? It was then she noticed Clara staring at them, and so Millie leaned her head over. “Got something to say, Clara?”

Clara's breath caught in her throat, as she hadn't meant to stare so hard. “I, uh, well.” The secret she had learned about Mickey bounced in her skull, demanding to be set free. “Goofy he's... sweet! Yes, very sweet, and he's very loyal to Prince Mickey, and... Prince Mickey... can I talk to you two about Prince Mickey?”

“See, she agrees with me.” Peg ignored Clara's body slumping in defeat. “Shy, sweet, and if he's a little on the slow side, it just means he doesn't know how to use all that money he's got saved up. Go for it!”

A wicked smile curved on Millie's lips. “At the very least we know he has good taste. All right, give me a little time, I'll have him wrapped around my finger...and I'll see if he's got a brother for you, Peg.”

The cat scoffed, playfully pushing Clara along. “Not for me, thanks. In a couple of weeks, I'll finally have enough saved to open my own little fruit stall.” She proudly crossed her arms, chin up. “And once that gets going, no more dancing for me. I'll be a self-made woman. Maybe I'll find tall, dark and beefy on the way, but my business will be first!”

This got Millie laughing, and she hugged Peg, the bells on her ears jingling with every giggle. “Just remember to give me a discount, Peggy!”

“If you call me Peggy again, I'll charge you extra!”

They squealed with their inside jokes, and similar easy merriment could be found in the other tables as the girls celebrated their futures and their earnings. No one took notice of Clara slowly heading towards the back, the weight of the world on her shoulders. She couldn't blame the girls for ignoring her troubles as they always did. Clara found this so routine she could no longer be offended. It was just in their nature, and it wasn't as if they were being evil or petty. They were praised solely on beauty, so their shallowness was of no great surprise to the hen.

She sighed, deciding to work on an extra batch of rice. Truthfully she had a very large crush on the bar owner, and that had been her favorite secret to keep. She never thought she had a chance with him, as she was pudgy and quiet compared to the slim and loud dancers. But now she knew Prince's Mickeys feelings, and her other secret out of the water. What if Mickey's actions led to another war? What if it was discovered she knew what he'd done? Did that count as treason? What would happen to Panchito? What would happen to the kingdom?

Clara wished she could go back to the days when her worst problem was feeling like a weed in a lovely garden.

~*~

With Mickey visiting Minnie on a randomly-nightly basis, the princess felt she no longer needed advice about the questionable feeling called love. She had his forbidden friendship and that was more than enough for Minnie. She enjoyed his stories and his jokes, and to Minnie it was selfish to desire anything else. Not to say she didn't have these desires – she wanted to be held in his arms, she wanted to see his kingdom with her own eyes, and she wanted to do more than sit and talk. But Mickey was already risking his life with every visit, and she didn't want to ruin their friendship by making things unbelievably awkward. Minnie was content, and this was all right.

But to Daisy, “content” had the same tone as “unsatisfied” and she kept trying to drag Minnie out so they could try the “supernatural” way to win Mickey over. Minnie still had no idea what this meant and she was rather afraid to find out. Sneaking out had also gotten much harder ever since Drake Mallard joined up with Pete Black to keep an eye on things, which included Minnie's whereabouts. Yet these challenges only seemed to make Daisy want to defy them even more.

“Remind me to apologize to the girl who does the laundry,” Minnie quietly told her handmaiden as she and Daisy tied Minnie's bed-sheets into one long rope ladder. “Now will you promise me this is the last time we try to sneak out to see Miss Morgana?”

“No, because it's good for you to see your kingdom anyway,” Daisy casually replied, beginning to drop the end of the sheets down over the balcony. “You're going to rule over these people some day, so you should know them personally.”

“Mother never snuck out to meet anyone.”

“Well, you're not your mother.” Daisy intended this to be a playful fact, but she was surprised to see a hurt expression on Minnie's face. “Oh, Minnie – you know what I meant – it's not a bad thing, you're just...you're both different!”

Minnie was about to explain she knew fully well that she wasn't like her perfect mother and she never would be, when an obnoxiously loud voice shouted from outside. “Nice try, ladies, but you'll have to get up pretty early to slip past Darkwing Duck!”

Daisy and Minnie, who were still tightly holding their end of the rope, looked out over the balcony. “Is he still calling himself that?” Minnie asked the obvious, mostly in disbelief that anyone would.

Drake was climbing up the sheets, grinning proudly that he caught them red handed. “Every trick you've done, my daughter's done ten times before, and ten times better!”

Daisy and Minnie glanced at each other, getting a similar idea. Daisy called out first. “Where's Pete?”

“Out on his lunch break, the big glutton,” Drake replied as he climbed. “But a good guardian never takes breaks!”

“So, no one is guarding the front door?” Minnie asked on her turn. She mentally made a promise to apologize to Drake later, but she had to admit this would be kind of funny.

“Not at the present moment, your Highness! But of course I'll be taking that position once I've gotten rid of all your bed-sheets, curtains, and anything you can fashion into an escape device.”

Daisy and Minnie again looked to each other, and then they nodded, before waving goodbye to Drake. Together they let go of the rope, allowing Drake to plummet all the way down into the marsh gardens. No doubt he was making some smart remark about a good guardian being broken, but it was drowned out in the mud. Daisy grabbed Minnie's hand and they fled the castle once more. 

Minnie had to admit that every time she went out into the kingdom, it changed in ways she couldn't understand. These were the same people, and the same buildings, but somehow it wasn't the same thing she had seen the last time. There were new interactions and conversations, and a relaxing freedom that came from choosing their own paths that day. Minnie was almost envious. She swallowed down the ugly emotion by mustering the courage to finally ask, “Who is this Morgana person, and what does she have to do with...the supernatural?”

This time around Daisy was flocking down a dark stairway that turned into a gloomy alley. “You won't believe me until you see for yourself.”

“Daisy, you're my best friend, I would believe anything you told me.”

The handmaiden tested this, turning around and spreading out her hands, making her fingers wiggle. “She makes love potions.”

For the first time in her life, Minnie felt like she was smarter than another woman. “I would believe almost anything you told me.” She put her hands on her hips, refusing to take another step. “There are no such things as love potions! You can't magically make someone fall in love with you.”

“If a god can summon a forest out of nowhere, and your mother can control the whole city's water by waving her arms, I don't see why the right herbs and liquids can't make someone fall desperately in love with you.” She'd chosen the word “desperately” in order to distract Minnie while she felt up a brick wall, trying to find the secret door.

Minnie's cheeks blushed heavily – ever since she met José, and learned his imaginative way of winning a man's heart, the word “desperately” brought back the less adorable desires her love held. If she wasn't careful. she would become a dizzy puddle of gleeful goop. Thankfully her steamy road down memory lane was interrupted by Daisy declaring “A-ha!”

The door had been painted to look as if was merely more bricks and mortar, when in truth it was wooden and thin. Daisy pushed hard to get inside and the door made an unearthly creaking noise as it let the girls inside. After they descended four steps on a black staircase, the door slammed behind them seemingly all on its own. Minnie blamed the wind. Daisy knew better. The circular stairway continued until they found a tall dark door with a slot instead of a handle. Daisy pulled out some spare coins from her dress. “Yes, this should cover us both,” she decided before sliding the coins into the slot.

“We pay before she even does anything?” Minnie questioned with a pout. “This feels like a scam.”

“Must you question everything?” Daisy countered after giving blowing her friend a quick raspberry.

After the coins were inserted, the door creaked to let them open, and the noise was less scary the second time around. The room around them was humongous, as it had to fit a large pool of water in the middle of the floor. Stone seats were set up around the pool as if expecting an audience. Wooden shelves lined the walls, holding up colorful bottles in languages Minnie didn't recognize. All of this uniqueness paled in comparison when she saw Morgana McCawber sitting in the largest stone seat, and suddenly Minnie felt dwarfed as this woman was taller than any she'd seen before.

Morgana was beautiful, there was no debate about this no matter what ideals of beauty a person held. There was a presence she gave off as if her beauty was not of this world, and instead had been gifted to her by the gods themselves. Her pale feathers made her ebony hair appear darker than the deepest midnight shadow, with a streak of white in her locks that ran as if to escape its owner. Her lush green eyes were murkier than the ocean's depths and all at once Minnie felt swallowed up, as if she wasn't even supposed to make eye contact with someone this enchanting. The teal dress she wore appeared to melt off Morgana's body, slinking off into the watery pool below.

“It is a pleasure to formally meet you, your Highness.” Even Morgana's voice was ethereal, haunting but soothing to hear.

“How-How did you know I'm-” Minnie fumbled for words until Daisy gently tugged her into a seat, which reminded Minnie that she was supposed to be polite.

“I know all, and I see all.” Morgana lightly gestured around her with long yellow and black fingernails. “The past, the present, and the future, I see them all around me. Plus, Daisy told me you were coming.”

That comment did kill some of the spookiness of the setting, so Minnie settled in her seat. “Well, um, thank you, I think. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Morgana.”

“We're here for your oh so special help, Morgana!” Daisy chirped, clapping her hands together. “My Minnie has met a majestic man, and she needs one of your magic potions to capture his heart! And since she's royalty, she can afford any extras that come with it. Maybe a dash of luck, or a hint of confidence?”

Morgana rose from her seat, and her nails glided along the brewing bottles on the shelves. “What you're asking isn't impossible. With the right concoction, I can have a man become ensnared by the first person he sees.” She then picked up different shaped bottles, reading out labels as she tried to decide. “Or you could go for Puppy Love, Young Love, Star-Crossed Love, First Love, Second Love, Jealous Love, Courtly Love...”

“How about we mix them all together?” Daisy offered, fishing for more gold in her spare pockets. 

Morgana held up a large bright red bottle, proudly showing it off. “If you're that eager for success, we can skip all the foreplay and go for Lust! It's a bestseller.”

Minnie cleared her throat, hoping she hadn't begun to blush again. “Let me get this straight. You've sold these...things to people all across the kingdom? How come I've never heard of it before?”

The enchantress calmly put the bottle back, not insulted. “Most people are reluctant to admit they need help when it comes to this thing we call love. Everyone thinks it's easy until they feel it for themselves. No two people experience it the same way, even the ones who fall for each other. That's why there are so many stories and plays and legends about love, since it's so difficult for any one person to describe.”

Minnie hadn't expected a pearl of wisdom from this charlatan, so she spoke without thinking. “Do you think you know what it is?”

Morgana smiled again and this time it was more natural, showing the real woman behind the glamour. “I believe I do. I'd be more than happy to explain that in a moment's time, but for now, I don't think any of my usual spells will work here.”

“Why not?” Daisy whined, anxiously clicking her feet on the floor. “She can afford anything you've got! She never spends any money on herself! Why, I'll even throw in all of my savings, you can have it all!”

Minnie wildly looked at her friend, ready to ask why she was so eager to do this, but Morgana simply shook her head. “My potions won't work under a few conditions, and one of them is that the one who uses the potion has to want it to work. I could already tell our princess was set against this.” She watched Minnie, offering a hand to show she could speak.

Minnie bit her lower lip. Much like when she had been with José, she didn't know what to do with automatic understanding and caring. Were all people in the kingdom like them and it was nly the castle dwellers that were stuffy, ignoring her words in favor of her position? Or had Daisy used a special ability to draw out unique souls that Minnie needed to hear from? “It's two things, really.” Minnie laid her hands flat on her thighs. “The first thing is...love from a potion doesn't seem like real love. I don't want Mick-my, um, man, to love me because I tricked him or it's out of his control.” Morgana quirked an eyebrow at the name slip, but said nothing, so Minnie continued. “I treasure our friendship so much because he doesn't really gain anything from it except...me. He's a free spirit, and he deserves to stay that way. I love him because that's who he is. To change him like that would be like...lying to myself.”

“How astute,” Morgana chuckled. “Now, what's reason number two?”

The princess looked at her handmaiden, now feeling free enough to say the whole truth. “If Daisy knew about all this love potion business, she must have already used half a dozen on Donald and he still tries to lock her out of the room when he tutors me.”

Daisy made a sound that seemed to be a mix of grumbling and fretting, mumbling about the planets not being in alignment and that obviously she used too much sugar, it must have diluted the whole thing. Morgana laughed with a hand on her heart. “It's good to know our future Queen is so clever. Yes, dear princess, my potions are little more than spicy mixes of tea and herbs. You'd be surprised how much money I can make off of hope and faith.”

Minnie wore a small smile as she found out she'd been partially right about the business. It hadn't gotten what Daisy wanted, but it was a good confidence booster. “I'm sorry for wasting your time, Miss Morgana.”

“Now there's no reason for you to leave right this minute,” Morgana held up one finger. “I can't help you with your mystery man, but since you came all this way, and you're helping me out, I can read your fortunes.”

This time it was Daisy's turn to be inquisitive. “Help you out? How did we help you out?”

Morgana picked up what appeared to be a bottle of ink. “Just as I predicated, I'm going to explain how I know about love. Because I'm in it, after all. But for now, it's sadly unrequited.”

Minnie apologized for somehow touching on a sensitive subject, but Daisy was always ready to blurt out the first thing that came to mind. “How do you have unrequited love? You're one of the most beautiful women in the kingdom! You're totally gorgeous! For goodness sake, if I wasn't dating Donald, I'd-” Minnie leaned over to clamp Daisy's beak shut with her fingers. She made another mental note to remember this tactic.

“I'm fully aware the advantages my good looks give me.” Morgana popped the cork out, and began to lightly pour the ink into the water. “One wink and I can have a man empty his wallet within seconds. But I don't want someone to love me just because of my beauty. That's hardly real love. I want someone to care for me because I'm me, but it's hard to find a man like that. I thought I could never trust any man who seemed to fall for me, since I always believed they'd leave me the moment I started to become anything else but a pretty doll.” As she began to put the bottle back, she tossed a question at the girls. “Do either of you know a man named Drake Mallard?”

“Why, he's the newest castle guard,” Minnie answered.

“And the dorkiest man alive,” Daisy added.

“Daisy, I think that's a stretch.”

“Oh, please, he always has a weird introduction whenever he bursts into a room! Do you remember the time he started off dinner with 'I am the hangnail in the thumb of evil'?”

“Well, all right, he can be rather annoying when you put it that way. I have to admit I don't understand why he feels he has to wear a mask when we all know who he is.”

“He's such a weirdo. I bet all the criminals he catches don't even need handcuffs, they're so embarrassed to be caught by such a major dweeb that they'd willingly walk into the dungeons.” Daisy only then noticed Morgana had crossed her arms, sucking in her cheek as she waited for the girls to finish. “He's the guy you like, isn't he?”

“Perhaps I should explain how we met.” Morgana went to a corner of the room, taking out a long metal pole. “This was several months ago...I was out in the shops to gather more ingredients for my potions. On that same day, there were a couple of bothersome robbers trying to terrorize everyone in their path into handing over their money. Apparently I was last on their list, but before they could try anything, there was this explosion of blue smoke.” She stuck the pole into the water, and slowly began to stir. “You know what he does, he gives the speech, and the way he handled those men was quite impressive. But as I watched, I thought he'd only sprung into action to save a beautiful woman.”

Minnie looked at the water, and to her surprise the ink wasn't mixing or diluting with the water. Instead there was a black spiral in the pool. Morgana pulled the pole back. “But when he finished and turned to make his announcements about his heroics, I saw he had wrapped gauze around his head, blocking his eyesight completely. He said earlier that day his daughter had been poking around with some of his tools, and she'd wound up poking said tools right in his eyes. Of course, he told this to the wall next to me.” She hugged the pole as she sighed wistfully. “It was amazing enough that he could fight off three men without his vision, but to me, the real miracle was that he saved me without knowing who I was. It didn't matter to him.”

Minnie held back the urge to let out a long, sweet “Awwwww!” and instead stuck to her questioning nature. “But what if he sees you next time? Aren't you worried about what you said, about him only loving you for your beauty?”

“With a man like that, I'm willing to take chances.” Morgana took her time putting the pole back in its proper place. “As odd as he may be, he gladly puts himself in harm's way to protect others, no matter who they are. He may be the man who can see me for more than my looks. He makes me want to take that chance.” Satisfied with her story for now, Morgana pointed to the water. “Now, my fortune telling is very simple. You cup a handful of the water, and then throw it back in as hard as you can. I can see your future from what shape the ink will take.”

Daisy thought she'd have to push and encourage Minnie to take this chance, but to her surprise Minnie had already begun to kneel down. Minnie didn't believe this tactic would work, but after all Morgana had said, Minnie felt she owed the enchantress. Besides, what was the harm? She scooped a handful of water in her glove, ignoring the ink stain it left behind. She gave her hand a kiss just in case, and then threw it back as hard as her little body could muster. Daisy applauded her effort.

The water rippled from the splash, and the ink swirled in response. When it settled, the girls tilted their head, trying to decipher what shape it'd taken.

“I see a dragonfly,” Daisy decided.

“I see an owl,” Minnie added.

Morgana faltered at Minnie's interpretation, but she exhaled deeply, pretending her flash of worry had been part of the show. “The dragonfly tells me you'll be going out a lot more, the both of you. That you'll explore new things in new places. And the owl is a symbol of wisdom. That tells me that these experiences will make you better people, and everyone will be better off for your choices.”

“So, I guess I'll be sneaking you out more often!” Daisy grinned, lightly nudging Minnie.

Minnie playfully rolled her eyes, ignoring her for a moment to look at Morgana. “I guess we won't know if your reading is right until the future comes. But until then, you still haven't said how we'll be helping you?”

Morgana lightly tapped on the wall behind her seat, revealing yet another hidden door. “According to my predictions, Drake has been looking for you, and his keen detective instincts will lead him this way. While you two slip out the back, I'll take my time distracting him so you two can go home.”

Daisy giggled wildly, grabbing Minnie by the hand and heading for the back door. “In that case, we'll be more than happy to 'help' you out whenever you need it!”

As Minnie tried to keep up with Daisy, she tried to touch Morgana's hand to shake it. “Thank you so much for today. And I'm sure Drake will love you for you. You're a very kind lady.”

Morgana curtsied in gratitude and within moments she was alone in the room. Only then did she allow her graceful smile to turn into a frown of deep concern as she looked back over the pool. She'd told the princess a half-truth for what appeared to be her own good. The owl was indeed a symbol of wisdom, but it was also a symbol for something far worse. The owl was seen as a harbinger of death, and that carried the souls of the dead to the underworld. Was the princess in love with someone who would bring death and ruin to their kingdom?

It was then she heard a disgruntled man falling down the stairs. She pushed the worries out of her head, telling herself that her predictions weren't always accurate. There was no way someone as sweet and thoughtful as Minnie would fall for someone who would bring such grave misfortune. Morgana smoothed down her dress, and sat in her chair, waiting for Drake to check for broken bones before he made his classic entrance.

She smirked as she saw the blue smoke appear. Yes, she wanted Drake to love her for more than her beauty – but that didn't mean she couldn't use it to make him all hers.

~*~

Whereas Minnie had snuck out with increasing frequency since knowing Mickey, Mickey wound up staying inside more often. On one of those days, King Solaris moaned wearily from his bed. “Oh, my son, I can feel death's shadow on my very face. Will you hold my hand one more time?”

Across the hall in his own room, Mickey called out, “I'm busy, Pa, I'll hold your hand later.” Sitting squarely in the middle of his room, he unfurled a long scroll in front of him, narrowing his eyes and trying to commit the written word to memory. It might have been easier if he had someone to bounce it off of, but Horace was done for the day and Goofy was out somewhere, he wasn't entirely sure where. Lately, Goofy would ask to leave the prince's side for just an hour or so, but without explaining why. Mickey would tell himself to ask Goofy later what he was up to, but he'd often forget or Goofy would distract him with questions about Minnie.

In hindsight, Mickey should have known his father would stomp out of his room so he could slap Mickey upside his head. But the prince was distracted in his studies, so he just rubbed the back of his sore head without looking at his father. King Solaris hovered over his son, grunting. “And what is more important than being at your father's side when death's shadow falls over his very face?”

“I'm studyin' history, Pa.” Mickey answered, trying to find where he had been interrupted. “This stuff's pretty hard to memorize. There's all these dates and people and battles, and we've been around for hundreds of years.”

The king's anger was snuffed out by disbelief. “Since when you do study, my playful son? I've seen you more eager to make history than to learn it.”

Mickey paused, his reading interrupted again. He couldn't tell his father that during his secret rendezvous with the Moon princess, Minnie had often asked about his kingdom's history. He had said “I dunno” to so many questions that it had become embarrassing, especially when she seemed to have every little fact about her kingdom ready and waiting on her tongue. He wanted to give Minnie everything she wanted, and if she wanted history, then by the Phoenix, Mickey would give her history. To his own amazement, some of this stuff was actually interesting. “Isn't a prince supposed to study?” Mickey hoped his father hadn't noticed the extremely long pause it took to come up with that answer. “I'm going to be the king someday. I'm finally doing what you and Horace want, so I better not hear any complaints.”

King Solaris touched Mickey again, but this time it was to affectionately rub between his son's ears. “On my dying day, my son rises to the occasion and becomes a worthy successor. You're doing me proud! I always knew you had it in you. You are my son, after all. Tell me, what are you reading now?”

Mickey hesitated to answer, slightly humbled by the praise. “Just a list of soldier's names and accomplishments. It ain't anythin' special.”

“Ah, but that's where you're wrong. A soldier gives their life and their future to their kingdom. They should always be treated with utmost respect. The very least we can do in their honor is to keep their names remembered.” He twirled a finger in his beard, reminiscing about times long since passed.

This made Mickey rather uncomfortable. He didn't want to disrespect the soldiers' memories by only memorizing it for the sake of a girl he fancied. In that instant, Mickey felt how young and childish he really was. “Don't you worry about that kinda thing?” he asked his father, still not looking at him. “Bein' disrespectful to folks and not doing everything correctly? No one even reads scrolls anymore, outside of the castle.”

“Of course I worry about it.” The King clicked his tongue, moving to sit on Mickey's bed. “I worry about a lot of things. But that is human nature and it doesn't change when you become king. All anyone can ask of you is that you do your best. That's why you annoy Horace so much.”

The prince snorted. “I thought me makin' him look like a dummy was what annoyed him.”

“Aside from that.” It was difficult to tell if King Solaris was smirking under his beard or merely taking his time to answer. “You have potential, my son. You are clever, there's no doubt about that. You can think of half a dozen schemes to escape your classes before the sun has risen. But think of all you could do if you used that brilliant mind to help your people. If you apply what you're meant to learn, you could be a king that legends speak of. Horace wants you to use your full potential, and that you don't insults him greatly.”

All of this sudden guilt was too much for Mickey to bear. He couldn't stand serious thoughts and serious conversations. That sort of thing was meant for the future when he actually had responsibilities. He was young, he was supposed to enjoy life. “Pa, I wanna ask you somethin'.” Mickey pointed at his father, now finally addressing him to his face. “But if you mention the word 'grandbabies', I swear I'll jump out the window.”

King Solaris raised his hand. “I swear by the Phoenix, those words won't leave my mouth.”

Mickey was already regretting this, but his father loved his mother, and he must have won her over somehow. “How do you get a girl to like you as more than a friend?” He didn't want to be impatient with Minnie, but it was killing him to keep the full extent of his feelings inside. You didn't gaze intently into the eyes of your friend, nor did you want to hold your friend close to your chest until your heartbeats synchronized. So far as he knew, anyway, he'd never wanted any of that with Goofy.

All at once, King Solaris jumped off the bed and began to dance all around. “The heir to the kingdom has been secured! The royal bloodline shall live on!”

Mickey quickly threw the scroll at his father's head. “PA! Knock that off!”

The King continued dancing, now with a lump on his noggin. “My son has found a woman, I'll be excited all I want! Who is she? What is she? She's not a dancing girl, is she? They're pretty, son, but not queenly material. But they're good for practice! Did you meet in the market? Oh, I know, I bet it's Launchpad's little sister, she always thought you were-”

The prince stuck out his foot in order to make his father fall flat on the floor. “I liked you better when you were dyin'.” He then climbed onto his father's back and sat, determined to take control over the talk. “Just answer the darn question already. I ain't tellin' you anythin' about anyone until you actually help me out.”

The King made no effort to get up, strumming his fingers on the hard floor. “What was it again? Oh, yes, from friendship to love. That's not an easy thing. You worry that if you make the wrong move, you won't even have her friendship anymore. It's a delicate balancing act, gauging her feelings against your own. But I would say that in order to see if she might love you, offer her a glimpse of your future together.”

Mickey frowned, not understanding. “Whaddya mean?”

“Friendship tends to stay the same throughout your life, perhaps growing stronger or weaker. You both know what to expect. But you need to find a way to show her that you're willing to do more than that, that you want to give her a different kind of happiness. Or, to put it simply...” He slammed his hands down on the floor, and bucked Mickey off so he could stand upright. “Actions speak louder than words! What you need is a grand gesture of your feelings. You need to do something for her that no one else can.”

Mickey had landed on his back, but he laid there for a moment, considering. Being from a different kingdom with a unique culture, there must have been many things he could do for her or show her that no one else could. She was already fascinated with his homeland. But perhaps there was a way to see if she could love him for him, not as the son of the Sun. “You know, old man, you might be onto somethin'.”

“I don't suppose my nugget of advice has earned me any details about your lady?” King Solaris' eyebrows went up and down rapidly, wanting the information as soon as possible.

Naturally, Mickey couldn't speak exactly of who it was, but he closed his eyes, picking out the honest things his heart spoke of. “She...makes me feel like I don't have to try so hard. I can relax around her. Even though I like talkin' to her, it's not like we have to talk. I can just enjoy bein' with her.” This was what puzzled and delighted him the most. Every day he sought out adventures and excitement and constantly expected to be entertained. But with Minnie, Mickey could take his time to settle and appreciate what was there.

King Solaris watched Mickey with quiet happiness. He'd never seen Mickey this way and he certainly never thought Mickey would want a peaceful, relaxing life. Perhaps his son was growing up thanks to this mystery woman. He'd have to thank her. “I wish you all the luck in the world, but I doubt you'll need it. You have always been a witty child, you'll find a way to win her over.” He then had a quick laugh. “Too bad you weren't around for the war! I bet a brain like yours would have won us many a battle against those despicable Moons!”

Mickey's eyes popped open, the remark sending a dagger into his chest. The bonding moment with his father had been severed by cruel reality, and he sat up, clearing his throat. “Pa, I don't - I don't really want to talk about that.” He scrambled to get his scroll back.

“Don't be so humble, Michael, it's not like you!” The king laughed again. “I mean it! With your skills we could have demolished their whole kingdom! Not that we'd have much use for that disgusting marsh.”

The prince unfurled the scroll again, trying to give the illusion he was too busy studying to have a conversation about killing the homeland of the woman he loved. “Thanks for the talk, Pa, we'll have to do it again some time. Another time. Any time that's not now.” His eyes scanned the pages to keep the act up, but he wound up finding an unexpected name. “Wait a minute. Panchito Pistoles – he really was in the army?”

“Of course he was.” King Solaris looked over Mickey's shoulder to see the names. “He was one of the best soldiers we had. I can't tell you how many victories he gave us – and sometimes all on his own! I tell you, there was never a bird more suited for battle. He'd often sneak away to pick his own battles in the Moon Kingdom. I swear, the Phoenix truly favored him, he always left battles without getting a single scratch on those feathers!”

Mickey squinted as if somehow that would make the name vanish. What his father was saying didn't mesh with how Panchito had acted when they talked of Minnie. Panchito had all but begged Mickey not to pursue her at first, afraid that the war would spring up again. “Then how come he never talks about these victories?”

The King paused, crossing his arms and rolling his head back. “I'm not entirely sure myself. One day, he went off to do one of his solo missions. It didn't seem any different than any other time he'd done it. But he came back much earlier than usual and he looked as if he aged ten years. He was all but dragging himself back home, and he wouldn't speak to anyone. He locked himself in his home for a whole week, refusing to see anyone, barely eating. When he finally came out, he told me he was leaving the army. Not offering to leave, not asking to leave, he said he wanted out and there was nothing I could do about it. To this day, I don't know what possibly could have spooked him.”

Mickey felt split in two – the Mickey who was overwhelmed with curiosity, who wanted to know what could turn a man from a bloodthirsty warrior into an easygoing party-thrower. Then there was the Mickey who knew that there were questions you just didn't ask, that there was danger lurking under Panchito's twisted tattoo, and that to ask would unleash something Mickey was in no way ready to handle. A chill went down his spine and he rolled the scroll back up. He had studied enough for one day. “I'm gunna go find Goofy and see what he's up to.” He didn't wait to hear his father's response, and he bolted out of the room.

The King wondered what had gotten into his son, and he picked up the abandoned scroll. He didn't have to read it to know the names listed there. For a moment, he imagined Mickey's name written in among the others, and a similar chill rattled his old bones. Laughing about Mickey's potential in the war had been one thing, but to actually imagine his son on the battlefield was another matter. King Solaris placed the scroll back where it belonged on the shelf, and pulled his robes closer together.

No, he would never forget those names, but as he looked out in the window and onto his kingdom, he wondered if there had been any point in their noble sacrifices. He stayed there for some time, going through memories he wished he didn't have to remember.

~*~

Donald Duck preferred to stay in the castle as much as possible, and theoretically he could, as being Minnie's tutor allowed him to live there. But Scrooge had refused to let Donald mooch off the royalty's wealth, and so Donald often had to buy his own necessities, such as new clothes or a new pillow for his bed. Whenever he had to go on these shopping trips, he was eager to get it done as soon as possible. Today he was out of ink, and he already knew where to go, so if luck was on his side, this would be a very short trip.

He kept his hands in his pockets and his eyes ahead, not willing to stray from his path by even an inch. He could already feel everyone's eyes boring into him, judging him, as they judged everyone else in the kingdom. Donald hated this aspect of his home – appearances were everything, and if you stood out, if you dared to be different, the gossip would never end. So he wore the same thing all other men his age wore, he ate the same things his family ate, and he kept his speaking to a minimum. Despite all these efforts, Donald was still seen as the odd one out, and it was all because of one woman.

Luck proved to ignore Donald's very existence, as he felt a hard hand slap his back. “Hiya, cousin! Gosh, I feel like I haven't seen you in ages!”

Donald didn't even have to look to see who it was. “Fethry, I don't have time to chat. I'm actually really busy right now.” The ink wasn't a life or death matter, but Donald didn't want to chat with his incredibly annoying cousin. The Duck line was far and extensive, with uncles, aunts and cousins on almost every block. It was impossible not to see one as he went about his business, but he'd been hoping they'd mind their own.

“Oooh, are you doing a royal mission?” Fethry's clothes were often slanted one way or the other, not caring to stay in place for more than a minute. His worn-out hat didn't hide black strings of hair that poked anyone who passed him by. “I wish I could live in the castle! I bet it's the fanciest of the fancy. Not that I care for worldly possessions, but you probably don't have a worry in the world.” A pause. “Other than Miss Daisy.”

“Oh, her?” Donald grumbled, pulling his own hat to try and hide his embarrassment. “The girl who's always speaking her mind when everyone wants her to shut up? The girl who wears as little as she thinks? The girl who has dedicated herself to being my wife and telling every single soul she meets about her feelings? Of course, I'd totally forgotten about her.”

Fethry blinked, and then pat tedDonald's shoulder in sympathy. “Wow, they must really be working you hard for you to forget about Daisy.” If Fethry knew Donald was glaring at him, he didn't acknowledge it. “I hear she's been sneaking the princess out of the castle to do who knows what.”

Since it was becoming obvious Donald wasn't going to get rid of his oblivious family member, he decided he could at least vent his frustrations to someone who was listening. “I don't know what gets into Daisy's head to do these things. It's like she was raised with no manners. Or sanity. Or common sense. At this rate, maybe the Queen will kick her out.”

“I've never heard of royalty firing one of their handmaidens before,” Fethry pointed out. “But it would be so like Daisy to try and break tradition. That's what I don't get about her. Why break tradition? If it was good enough for our ancestors, it's good enough for me!”

“Why fix something that isn't broken?” Donald agreed, changing his arms behind his back. “All she does is cause trouble for the princess, and for me. I thought being her tutor would be like living on easy street.”

When the opportunity came, Donald had jumped at the chance to live in the highest of society. He felt he was worthy to brush elbows with society's fanciest, and he couldn't imagine an easier job than reciting a bunch of dusty books to a younger girl. As expected the princess was polite and quiet, willing to do whatever was asked with nary a peep. Donald had thought it odd at first that she had no friends save for him. It made him think that maybe the reason she was so obedient was because Minerva was willing to do whatever she had to in order to keep someone around. He'd felt sorry for her at first, before learning from Scrooge that Minnie had actually sent away the last of her playmates.

It wasn't his place to ask, but the question of why she'd done that nagged at him for a long time. Then Minerva became old enough to choose a handmaiden after staying a few select days in the kingdom. For reasons Donald still couldn't grasp, she'd chosen the outspoken and outlandish Daisy, and now this love-obsessed loon was part of his life. Why she fell for him was an even bigger mystery. Shouldn't someone who longed to stand out be with someone similar, instead of a guy struggling to fit in?

“It's a shame.” Fethtry's voice returned Donald back to the present. “A girl that pretty. I always thought if she was a little quieter, I'd try my hand.”

“She's all right, I suppose,” Donald mumbled, “but I'll tell you what, Fethry, I'm not going to let her drag me down. One of these days she'll learn the rules of reality, and I'll find myself a good girl.”

“Like who?” Fethry asked.

Donald had reached the supply shop, but Fethry's inquiry made him stop just as his fingertips touched the doorknob. He'd never actually thought that before. “Well. I...hmmm. I don't know.”

Fethtry shrugged. “Maybe someone like the princess?”

For the first time all day, Donald didn't feel tight and tense, because that outrageous question made Donald collapse into shaking laughter. “Me and the princess! That's rich! She's like my little sister!”

People stopped to stare at this burst of noise, and Fethry quietly cleared his throat, trying to motion to Donald. “Uh, cousin?”

“Me and the princess!” Donald repeated, laughing harder and louder, a hand on his stomach. He couldn't imagine a sillier scenario, save for maybe dating Fethry! His squawking laughter went on, having been held so back for so long to save his proper face that now it was almost impossible to stop. When he finally calmed down, he felt fantastic – for five seconds. Then he saw the judging eyes of the shoppers glaring at him for all the noise he'd made.

Mortified, Donald rushed into the store, slamming the door behind him and slinking down to the floor. He wouldn't leave until the crowd dispersed, and until then, he thought of Daisy's shrieking laughter, furious that she could make such a sound and not care about the repercussions.

He was even more furious that he liked her laughter.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear as I was writing this, I thought 'damn minnie control your thirst', after which i then thought 'i am so going to hell'.
> 
> For Millie's dance, the number "Shakalaka Baby" from the broadway musical Bombay Dreams came to mind. Will I finally stop referencing that musical?
> 
> Also, Minnie's deceased Pa (and for that matter, Mickey's dead Ma) doesn't have a name. IDK if they'll ever need one for the story, but I'm open to suggestions just in case!
> 
> As always, big thanks to my editors, Drucilla and BlueShifted.

Early the next day, Queen Lune and Minnie wove their control over the Moon Kingdom's water as they did every morning. The Queen noted that, lately, Minnie yawned more than usual during this ritual, though Donald swore up and down that Minnie retired to her room the same time as always. Queen Lune noted that maybe they should change Minnie's diet, to see if that was affecting her slumber.

As they finished, the Queen was off to inform the cooks of their new orders when her daughter's diminutive voice stopped her. “Mother, may I ask you something?”

She spared Minnie only a small glance over her shoulder, eyes narrowed. “Be quick about it, Minerva, you mustn't be late for your lessons.”

Minnie held her hands together, and inhaled deeply through her pink nose before daring to ask, “How did you and father meet?”

Queen Lune blinked so much that she could have sworn she felt an eyelash or two fall onto her cheek. The princess had rarely asked about her father. The Kingdom itself never talked of him. It was an unwritten rule that you didn't speak of the dead unless absolutely necessary, out of respect to the living. Because of this Queen Lune felt rattled, since she had no answers to a question she never expected. “Why do you ask?”

Minnie had gotten advice from Daisy, José, and Morgana, and they had all worked out in their own ways. Surely the wise Queen had ideas in the matter of love, but Minnie couldn't come out and ask. Minnie believed that by listening to the story of her parent's courtship, she could learn her mother's views on love. But instead of saying this, she simply walked until she was in front of the Queen and said, “Why does anyone ask anything, mother? Because I don't know how it happened. And I would love to hear it,” she finished with one of her classically sweet smiles.

The Queen could feel blood rushing to her cheeks. Her daughter was adorable, the question itself was adorable, and she wasn't sure how to address both without making a fool of herself. She still wanted Minnie's respect, so she couldn't just giddily talk about the former king like a lovesick schoolgirl. Queen Lune cleared her throat. “Your father and I were arranged to be married. He came from a very prominent family, and it was decided by our parents that he would rule well by my side. We didn't formally meet until our wedding day.” For a moment, she considered leaving things like that.

But perhaps it was seeing the soft look in Minnie's eyes that implored the Queen to add details not many others knew about. “Actually...the day before, I was feeling rather...unwell. I was unsure about my ability to lead, afraid of the war, and now I was to marry a complete stranger. On that day I left the palace to get some fresh air. It was raining, and I hadn't brought my umbrella with me, so I just let it pour all over me. I didn't much care.”

Minnie's eyes had widened as the story expanded. She wanted to interrupt with questions – the Queen had snuck out? She had felt insecure too? - but Minnie feared doing so would make the tale end. The Queen continued, her eyes going to the balcony. “All of a sudden I noticed the rain had stopped. At least, it had stopped over me. A young man was offering his umbrella to me, despite getting soaked himself. But he smiled like he didn't have a care in the world. When I tried to refuse, he said...” She swallowed, rubbing the space under her eye. “He said the warmth of my smile would stay with him forever. He then ran away...he was probably mortified by saying something so cliché.”

Was it Minnie's imagination or was the Queen trying not to laugh? She couldn't remember seeing her mother ever laugh, and wondered what sort of magical man this was to bring out such a reaction. Minnie was smiling from ear to ear, silently imploring the Queen to go on. “As fate would have it, that was the man I would marry the next day. He was just as surprised as I was. That was the sort of man your father was...acting without thinking. Doing all he could to help another, even if he suffered.”

The princess reached out and touched her mother's hand, feeling courageous. “You two loved each other very much, didn't you?”

Queen Lune looked at her tiny daughter's hand, and squeezed it. “Yes, we did. Your father would never leave my side without saying some silly compliment. Even when we argued.”

Minnie loosened her grip, confused. “You two argued?”

“Of course we argued, all lovers argue. Love doesn't mean ignoring the other person's flaws, but accepting them, because you know they will accept yours. Perfection doesn't exist in this world, and it certainly doesn't exist in love. Your father didn't like how I used my utensils at dinner, he always complained I was so loud. And I detested his efforts at growing a mustache, it looked hideous on him.”

A fluttery giggle escaped Minnie, and she was set to apologize, but there was a twitch of a smile in Queen Lune's cold lips. Though they were both now running late for their duties, the servants that poked their head in this scene didn't dare interrupt. It was far too sweet to disrupt. “Oh, but mother,” Minnie implored, tugging on her mother's hand, “you must have actually said you loved father, to him! How did you say it?” Here it was, the big question, the one that could maybe make her own move to Mickey easier.

Queen Lune wished she could cover her face with her hands, but one was always on her staff, and the other was preoccupied with Minnie. She disliked being so discombobulated. “Of...of course I told him, a few times, here and there. There's no story to it. It was the same as telling him the sky was blue, or that water is wet. It was just a fact, I loved him.”

“Really?” Minnie asked, somewhat floored. Could saying something so important really be that simple? True, it was a hard fact that Minnie loved Mickey, but wasn't a love confession supposed to be big and flowery and dazzling? “Weren't you afraid that maybe he wouldn't feel the same way?”

“You can't let fear hold you back, or else you'll never move forward. It sounds difficult, but it's the only way to live. 'To do otherwise is not living at all.' That's what your father used to say.”

Minnie nodded slowly, trying to understand. This conversation was quite enlightening, and perhaps it would help her with more than her troublesome feelings. Telling the Queen about Mickey was currently impossible, but they could start a pathway to that tricky subject. “Mother, I...I want that. I want what you had with father. I want everything you two had, and I really think I can have it! I mean, if I try, and 'live'.” She released her mother's hand, clasping her own together. “Do you think you can help me?”

Queen Lune used her now free hand to adjust the spectacles on her nose. “Well, I certainly can't guarantee exact results, but of course you'll have the same arrangement as your father and I had.”

For a quick, naive instant Minnie was fit to burst with glee. “You mean it? You really, really mean it?”

“Obviously, you'll also have an arranged marriage. I've already started looking into potential candidates.” With the matter settled, and not noticing how her daughter had completely frozen in horror, she turned away again. “We've discussed this matter long enough. We're both late for our duties. If you wish to have this sort of conversation again, we must pay attention to our schedules.” She hurriedly left the room, glad she could finally put a pause in the dialogue. She wasn't sure how much longer she could talk about her late husband without looking silly.

Minnie didn't move right away, as she was still gobsmacked – how had a delightful talk about true love suddenly flown off the rails and crashed? She couldn't possibly get married, she had Mickey! She stood there for so long that Daisy began to worry, coming after her best friend and trying to tug her along. “Don't you worry about a thing,” Daisy said once Minnie told her everything. “nothing's set in stone just yet. We'll find a way to delay the marriage until everything's perfect between you and Prince Mickey.”

“I hope you're right,” Minnie sighed long and deep, struggling to pick her mood back up. “but everyone's giving me different advice. I don't know who's to follow.”

“As incredibly cheesy as it sounds, I'd say follow your heart.” Daisy winked after saying that. “Mickey isn't spending time with me, José, Morgana, or the Queen. He's only interested in you. And I say, we should tell him about this arranged marriage! That way, he can do the whole 'interrupt the wedding' plan! You know, where they say 'Does anyone object?' and he bursts in, saying 'I object'!”

Minnie couldn't tell if her handmaiden was serious or was just trying to make the princess laugh, and both were plausible. “Do you think he'd ride in on that horse again, with a whole parade?”

“Oooh, liked that extra, didn't you?” Daisy gave Minnie a tickle around the ribs, difficult as it was through the thick dress and corset. “You want him to carry you off on that horse and ride into the sunset!”

Minnie wound up giggling, and as per the norm, Daisy managed to lock away Minnie's troubles with a sturdy key. After all, Minnie told herself, who would want to marry her? The Queen would be looking forever, which left plenty of time for Minnie to plan out her future with Mickey. She hadn't realized it was the first time she ever planned something she wanted for herself.

~*~

On an intensely hot day in the Sun Kingdom, Millie put her plan into action. She and Peg had gone over the details intricately every day ever since Peg had given her the idea. Once Millie knew the kind of face to look for, she came up with a sensual dance that would surely delight any warm-blooded man who laid eyes upon her. As lunch ended and a new crowd took their seats, Peg lightly nudged Millie before jumping to her own table.

 

Taking the cue, Millie spotted Goofy at once. Goofy was always in the same place, tentatively placed behind the large entrance, one hand gripping the solid rock wall, his long face sticking out like a sore thumb, but the rest of his body was outside, hidden. No doubt he thought he was completely invisible, oblivious to the fact that a face like his would always catch eyes no matter how hard he tried. Even for the few milliseconds the dancer's eyes were on him, Goofy seemed to be pulling away, trying to hide himself more, but still sticking in enough to see her. This kind of squeamish man was supposed to guard the prince?

Millie would have laughed at the thought, were she not in performance.

Her eyes left him and she melted seamlessly back into the dance. For this to work, this had to be played out naturally, a forged accident. She had rehearsed this with Peg more times than she could care to count. All it needed was for Panchito to be distracted so he wouldn't interfere...

...and he was already in discussion with Clara Cluck. Perfect.

Arms outstretched, moving to the beat of the wild drums, she kicked the air hard, followed into a spin, and then, _SNAP_ \- her loosened necklace lost one of its precious red stones, and was in the air, flying, flying, flying...

...and landed right in front of the entrance. Any other time, and Millie would have danced on, pretending to be ignorant, as if it never happened. But this needed to be brought attention to. She faked faltering, looking quizzical, me oh my, where ever did that stone go? Again, her eyes went to the bodyguard.

Goofy had already found it, but was clearly hesitating on touching it. He looked at her on stage, to the stone, back and forth. Slowly, tentatively, he stooped down, and scooped it up in one hand. Drawing in a deep breath, he began to walk inside, heading right towards her. The audience, those who weren't already drunk to high heaven, impatiently watched, though some annoyed faces grew surprised when recognition lit their brains. The tattoo on his back, the familiar pants, the spear in his other hand – all were signs of the royal bodyguard of the palace. Once the connection was made, and questions brewed in their minds, the audience members quickly looked back to the dancer.

By now, Millie had stopped, and was all smiles towards the shaking soldier. She extended one hand toward him, with an open palm, and he stopped before her. It appeared to only occur to him just then how close he had gotten. Goofy blinked hard, snapping himself into sense, and he dropped the stone into her hand.

"Thank you, handsome," she purred in return, clasping the stone to her breast.

A long pause. "...Yuh....yer welcome,” he squeaked, and then cleared his throat, repeating the words in a normal tone. A few snickers rippled throughout the people.

"You've been here a few times, haven't you?" A few flutters of her eyelashes followed the question. The male dog seemed to freeze in place - did he really think she hadn't seen him? "Why don't you stay inside? Or would you prefer a private performance?"

Before he could reply, no doubt in a tone even squeakier, one member of the audience stood up, his drink sloshing out of his cup as he swaggered to his feet. "What about my performance!" he roared, the alcohol making his speech slur. "I didn't pay good money to see you chit-chat!"

Millie's lovely features instantly crumpled to anger, and she whipped around to look at who was ruining her plans. "In a moment, sir!” she snarled. Oh, how she could throttle him! Who cared about a few measly coins from such a peasant, when she had the chance to marry into high society? Alas, when she moved to face her target once more, Goofy had vanished. Teeth grinding at her defeat, she stormed to the middle of the stage, and to the unease of the musicians, resumed dancing.

At least it was a step forward, she told herself. She caught a glimpse of Peg chuckling at what had transpired, and they both knew there would be more long nights of planning ahead. But while she had thought Panchito and Clara were ignorant of her efforts, they'd actually been watching the entire spectacle. Panchito laughed, a fresh drink sloshing in his wooden mug. “After Goofy's heart, is she? I can't tell if that will be a challenge or an easy feat! You never know with our good Goofy!”

Clara clicked her tongue to her beak in disapproval. “I don't know, he's such a sweet man. She'd better not play with his heart. He deserves better than that.” She touched Panchito's shoulder to try asking him, once more, about the entire affair with Mickey and the Moon Princess, but as he looked up at her she was embarrassed – he really did have to look _up at_ her, since she was a good head taller than he was. Maybe she'd try again when they were sitting down.

“Something the matter?” Panchito asked her, cocking his head to a side.

“Ah, no, it's...it can wait.” Clara then winced, his breath giving away another reason why she hadn't talked to him about the important matter. “And you're drunk.”

“I was, but not to worry, I will be again soon!” He laughed at what he thought was funny, heading to the wine cellar. “Then you can tell me what's wrong. Let me guess, you've got a line of suitors at your door...Yes, I will happily send them away!”

When Clara first started working at the bar, she was immensely flattered by these kind of compliments. Then she'd seen him give similar lines to all the women who worked for him, and the charm soon weakened. As she watched him climb the ladder down, however, the smell gave her a thought – had she ever talked to him when he wasn't drunk? Was he ever really sober when she was around? Was he when anyone was around? It made her stomach turn. In her opinion, a man didn't need to drink that much for mere pleasure. 

Down alone in the quiet wine cellar, Panchito quickly began to twist the spout on a barrel, trying to make the liquid inside come out faster. His mind was beginning to clear up, and with that came the memories, and his hand began to tremble as tidbits of the past returned. The drink still wasn't coming out, and the memories were still coming in as fresh as if they had merely happened yesterday – all of his senses were waking up in unison to remind him of his sins.

“Come on,” he whispered to no one. “Come on, please, come on now...” The smell of burning flesh, the sight of the building toppling, and the screams, and the screams, and the screams, _AND THE SCREAMS_ – Panchito threw his fist into the wine barrel, the wood spiking his skin with blisters. Wine poured out like a inexperienced waterfall, and he stuck his beak in, swallowing as much as his mouth would allow before he gagged. He fell to his knees, and wiped his mouth with his arm.

Panchito stayed there until every last memory he had was gone, and there was nothing left to do but celebrate.

~*~

Several feet away from the bar, Goofy ran smack into Horace, sending both men to the dusty ground with sore heads. Goofy mumbled an apology, still blushing intensely from his close encounter with a woman he still had trouble believing was real. “Sorry about that, Horace.”

Horace picked up the things he had dropped – long metal chains, each link heavier than the last. “What were you in such a hurry for? I've only seen you run that fast when Prince Michael is running the same way!”

“Ummm,” answered Goofy, who knew it wasn't much of an answer. He was reluctant to tell an obviously smarter man his woes, as Horace would explain it in detail and Goofy didn't want it explained. Unlike Mickey, who needed his affections spelled out in front of his face, Goofy automatically knew he had fallen for the sweet tall miss with the bells. It just made sense. But what didn't make sense is that the sweet tall miss with the bells had talked to him, and he needed to go home and think long and hard about that.

“Ummm,” he said again, but this time around he found a distraction. “Gee, Horace, what's all that for?”

The tutor held the chains up in triumph, deciding that whatever was filling the bodyguard's small skull couldn't be that important. “My latest guarantee that the prince stays for his lessons! Let's see him try to escape after he's wrapped up like a birthday present! No amount of smarts can beat sheer strength!”

Goofy poked the chains with a finger. “Look awful expensive there, buddy. Me, I just would've used rope! But that's why yer the smart guy and I ain't.”

Horace didn't know what popping a blood vessel felt like but maybe this was close. “You could have told me that before I used up all my savings.”

“But I'm always tellin' ya that yer smart!” Goofy happily patted Horace's shoulder, thinking that the horse's eye twitch was nothing unusual. “If ya feel that way, I'll make sure to tell you every day! I ain't gunna let my pal feel dumb, that's my job.”

Horace shook his head, lobbing the chains over his shoulder. “I suppose if we really are...pals, then I shouldn't let you talk that way about yourself. You're not dumb, you...think in a different manner than most people.”

Goofy raised both eyebrows, intrigued. If Horace said it, it had to be true. “That so? Guess I was so dumb I didn't even know I wasn't dumb! Say, that mean I ain't as ugly as I think I am either?”

“Uh, I suppose so?” Whenever Goofy wasn't indulging Mickey's escapes and pranks, Horace thought Goofy to be a decent, if unusual, man that deserved to feel good about himself. “Why do you ask?”

“Then, uh, well, that mean a real purdy-lookin' gal could wanna hang around a fella like myself?” Goofy kept pointing at his face as if Horace would somehow miss it.

Horace slowly looked to the ground, where Goofy's footsteps in the sandy ground still sat. He factored in Mickey's favorite places to play, Goofy's red cheeks, and the odd line of questioning, and his brilliant mind came to one conclusion. “By the Phoenix, were you running from a woman?!”

“Wow, Horace, you really are smart! Did you hear me that time, does that count as me tellin' you for today?”

“Why were you running from a woman, _you dunce?!_ ” Had Horace the strength and patience, he might have started strangling Goofy with his chains. “You're a representative of the prince, of the royals, of everyone who lives in there, and that includes me! You have an image to maintain!”

The bodyguard shrugged. “She was real purdy and she talked to me.”

Horace tried not to roll his eyes. “And I suppose you want me to teach you how to win her heart. Well, I won't! I have better things to do! As do you!”

“Oh, I wasn't gunna ask you about women,” Goofy calmly replied. “since you ain't ever had a girlfriend, I figured you might not know that much. But it's okay, you're still smart!” He offered what he thought was an encouraging smile before starting on towards home.

Horace stared at Goofy as he left, wondering why everyone called him Goofy when the darn dog had potential to be so annoyingly intelligent. Even so, the idea of Goofy getting a girlfriend before Horace did took the remains of his dignity and buried them six feet under. But Horace didn't want a girlfriend just for the sake of having one, or to one-up Goofy, or make King Solaris shut up. If he was ever going to try wooing a woman, she'd have to be someone who could understand his troubles.

Horace headed back from where he came, hoping he could get his money back. In such a laid-back kingdom, how he could ever find a woman who would sympathize with his plights? His so-called smart brain said he couldn't, and that was that. She'd have to come from a million miles away, so he buried his hopes with his dignity and began to haggle with the shopkeeper.

~*~

For many nights when Mickey came to visit Minnie, they would sit in her marsh gardens and talk endlessly. As this had become so routine, Minnie didn't expect anything more when she spotted the familiar mouse below her balcony. She had to be careful not to walk too fast down her balcony stairs lest she trip, but she wanted to meet with him as soon as possible to make every second together count. She was no longer ashamed of her nightgown's exposure, nor did she fret about make-up and jewelry.

The only thing that was an absolute must was her birthday necklace, and that had never left her body since she first received it. Mickey's eyes almost seemed to hit that first before looking at her, maybe surprised by how much she truly treasured it. He grinned as he met her below, feeling invigorated by a plan his father had inadvertently helped him create. “Hiya, Minnie.”

“It's so good to see you, Mickey.” Minnie still curtsied, some habits were harder to break. “I made sure to study twice as long today, so I can answer any question you have!”

“Right now, I only got one question.” Mickey held out his hand. “You ready to go?”

Minnie thought for a moment she'd missed a sentence or two. “Go? Go where?”

“To the Forbidden Forest! I wanna take you there. Last time you were around in there, you didn't get a real good look, I bet.”

“N-No, I didn't...” Her voice trailed off, looking off into the distance. The darkness of night hid many things, but she knew the towering trees were still there, looming over the kingdom. The very idea held far more risk than any of her outings with Daisy. She could feel fear curling around her and holding her tight.

Mickey continued to hold his hand out. “You don't have to,” he said gently, “We can stay here as long as you want. But, y'know, I thought we could give this a try?”

In Minnie's head, she heard the voices of all who she had asked, and then her mother's voice cut through - _You can't let fear hold you back, or else you'll never move forward._ She looked into Mickey's eyes, his beautiful eyes that held the intensity of burning fire that melted her insecurities, and she took his hand. “Let's try.”

A wild laugh of joy flew out of Mickey's mouth, and he wasted no time in running back the way he entered, holding Minnie's hand tightly. They splashed through the mud and water, trying to keep their voices quiet as they climbed over the gates. Mickey artfully used the shadows to dart from building to building, pressing Minnie close to his chest if he thought he heard footsteps – and a few times when he didn't, not that she complained. As the trees became closer and closer, Mickey had to fight to not look back at Minnie, as he desired to see her expression when they left the safety of her kingdom.

She had changed his world by entering the Forbidden Forest before and so it was right that he should change hers by repeating destiny. Only he could do this for her, as his father had sort of instructed. They only stopped running when they felt grass under their feet, and they slowed down to catch their breath. Then they both looked up, seeing slivers of moonlight peek in through the treetops.

They were still holding hands. Neither of them made the effort to pull away.

“When I first started getting away from Horace,” Mickey finally said, taking small steps forward. “Me and Goofy would stay here, and play games, and carve stuff from the wood.”

Minnie touched a nearby tree, laying her palm flat against the rough bark. Everything in the Moon Kingdom was always soft and smooth, but this challenged her skin, threatening to prick. Even the smell was unique, blocking out all other scents in favor of nature. “It's so deep, I feel like you could get lost here forever if you're not careful.”

“Well, I did get lost, a couple of times,” Mickey admitted, sheepishly looking away. “But Goofy always managed to find me.”

Minnie chuckled quietly. “I'd really love to meet Goofy someday. He always sounds so nice.”

“Aw, he's the best! And he'd love to meet you too! I tell him everythin' about you, y'know. And I think he'd get along really great with Daisy!”

“Daisy would be delighted! She adores all the stories you tell me. She really wants to know more about the dresses your women wear.”

“I can think of a few ladies who wouldn't mind sharin' their clothes! Maybe she could be a dancer!”

They talked of friends and family as they moved all around the forest. Mickey pointed out a spot where he and Goofy had carved out their names, and after digging out a sharp rock from the ground, encouraged Minnie to do the same. Minnie was surprised by her own strength as she successfully placed her name under Mickey's. Mickey then challenged her to a contest to see who could carve their name faster, though he cheated by using Mickey instead of Michael. For that, she refused to give the rock back, and she even threw it as hard as she could.

After that, came a game of hide and seek, which they both admitted was extra difficult due to the darkness. It became tag after Minnie refused to be caught, and since there was no one around, she was free to shriek and laugh as loud as her lungs would allow. Mickey tripped and skinned his knee, and after Minnie apologized a million times, he went through the history of his most impressive injuries. Throughout the games and storytelling, not once did either mouse think of confessing their love. The rush to understand it and spit it out had vanished. They couldn't even recall what they were worried about hours ago.

When Mickey noticed the moonlight was leaving, he knew it was time to pull out his super special plan. This, more than anything, would surely make her happy and see potential in their happiness together. He led her to a long green vine that hung off one of the trees. “These things are a lot stronger than they look. Me and Goofy would swing around and they'd never break!” He gave it a tough tug to show. “Which really works out, cause there's something I wanna show you, but it's all the way up there.”

Minnie craned her neck as much as she could, trying and failing to see where the tree ended. “All the way...? I can't climb that much!”

“Never said you had to.” Mickey jabbed a thumb behind him. “Just hop on my back, and I'll get us there in no time flat!”

The idea of being pressed up into Mickey's body deflated all of Minnie's temporary hesitation. “Oh, well, if you say so,” She quickly chirped, walking around him. It was highly improper, a woman shouldn't touch a man like this unless they were at least engaged, but the Forbidden Forest already had Forbidden in its name. This was a night of defying expectations and norms. “Here, like this?” Minnie placed her arms around his chest, and, to make sure she wouldn't fall off, squeezed in tight.

Mickey, being a desperately in love and hormonal teenager, needed a minute. “Uh.” In theory he figured she'd need to hang onto him as they climbed, but his body hadn't planned like his mind did. “Y-Y-Yeah. Yeah! Just like that. Just. Like that.” He stammered, thankful she couldn't see his ridiculous face. He rigidly grabbed the vine again – she even smelled good, he could die happy right then and there – and placed one foot on the tree's trunk. Praying that his tail wasn't wagging – it wasn't, and he couldn't see that Minnie's was – he steadily began the move upwards, grunting every so often.

“Am I too heavy?” Minnie couldn't help but ask, whispering into his ear.

“ _Nuh-_ ” The prince choked out a garbled attempt at 'no', his head buzzing from the sweet vibrations. “N-N-Nope! 'Course not! You're light as a feather! But, uh, maybe we should hold off on the chit-chat until we get there. Better safe than sorry. Yep.”

“If you say so.”

Once Mickey managed to concentrate, the trip upwards went smoother and faster. He'd marked the exact branch he wanted hours earlier with an x, and when he found it, he nudged Minnie slightly. “Have a seat!”

Minnie took her time climbing off, but latched onto his hand, still afraid of falling down. They inched towards the branch, sitting down, and at first Minnie has thought the intended view was the top of the Moon Kingdom.

Instead she saw a blend of colors resembling spilled paint, blurring past lines and flowing seamlessly into one another. This was sunrise, the giant bright orb melting into the land, and it was a beautiful thing to witness. The prince and princess had seen such a feature from their own kingdoms in their own rooms, but it was something else to watch it from the scenery of the great forest. Since they were perched upon the tallest tree, they could see that the sun was not truly touching either kingdom as it rose. It was far off in its own time and space, belonging to nothing and no one. Minnie watched, rapt, nestled comfortably against the tree, her fear of falling forgotten entirely. It was such a thrill to see the birth of new shadows, watching them shrink and grow all around. To her, it was the most amazing sight within the entire forest.

Mickey would disagree, if asked. Sitting only a few inches from her on the same branch, his gaze could not be torn from his guest, far prettier than any sunrise he had seen. This wasn't to say the sunrise was unwelcome, for the colors it was shedding reflected on the moon girl's ivory fur, nearly a rainbow of after effect. Pinks, purples, yellows, oranges, reds, she appeared to be oblivious to the display her body was making. Yet she was not oblivious to the intense stare given to her, and she finally, slowly, began to glance at him, eyes meeting. Mickey's cheeks reddened at being caught – Minnie's cheeks reddened at the implication of his stare.

She smiled, humble. He smiled, embarrassed. They resumed watching the spectacle of light, but he could only look away for so long before returning his gaze back to her, especially once he noticed her fingers were idly holding the necklace he had given her. Such an act gave him great confidence, and once the sun had paused in the sky, Mickey began to stand on the branch. "Ever been on a swing before?"

Minnie's head sharply turned back to him at the strangeness of the subject, eyebrows quirked up. "Why…of course. I had one in the gardens when I was little."

"Betcha ain't ever had one like the one I got." It wasn't bragging, just a statement of fact. Once Mickey found his footing, he opened his arms, the signal that it was time to tree travel again. Minnie nodded in understanding, and grasped the trunk behind her as hard as she could before trying to stand up as well. Her body wavered, much like her confidence, uncomfortable with such heights when they were confronted directly. Her steps towards him were shaky and slow, but he was patient, and waited until she was close enough to hold her with one arm. Once her own arms linked tightly around his neck, Mickey reached over to begin tugging at the limber green vines, and only when he found one with the right strength did he jump.

Minnie shut her eyes hard to avoid the oncoming scare, but aside from this, she had rather quickly gotten used to Mickey's way of movement. He began to swing from one vine to the next, vines, leaping from branches, the air was his, and he seemed to imagine up a new path to the destination he sought every time he needed to move. It was never the same movement twice, and it gave her a frightened kind of excitement. Minnie's favorite part was at the end, when eyes would be opened, and they'd stare at each other, holding each other, until it would become transparent that they really ought to let go. Once she felt the grass under her feet and knew he was no longer moving, they watched each other. Her arms around his neck, his arm around her waist, it took much longer for them to let go this time.

Mickey was the one to break it off again, when he gestured by pointing next to him. "See?" There before them were two elongated vines attached to an old wooden board, a makeshift primitive swing. Minnie pulled away from his warm body to personally inspect it, in a quiet sort of awe. The swing of her childhood had been made out of steel and iron, colorful in its own ways. Curious, she sat down on the wooden board, but found it could have easily seated her and maybe an extra person. She grabbed each vine, and was about to give herself a push, but the prince also took a vine into one hand.

The smile Mickey now wore was mischievous, and instead of pushing Minnie from behind, he began to run around in a circle, bringing the vine with him, and making it twist more and more at the very top. It creaked and groaned, but continued to support the playful activity. When he thought he twisted it far enough, Mickey put one foot on the remaining room of the board, and then removed his other foot from the ground. Instantly the entire swing spun around frantically in the reverse circle, and the world blurred. Minnie held onto the vines for dear life, but found herself bursting into ecstatic giggles, blood rushing to her head. Hearing such a sound made Mickey laugh as well, the air they were losing only making their giddiness higher.

It spun, it continued to spin, and once it was done with the reverse circle, it had become twisted all over again, and now spun in the original direction, back and forth several times. Lungs ached from laughter, stomachs were twisted from shifting weights, yet the two felt a happiness unmatched. As the ride slowed and vision was struggling to correct itself, Mickey could see the delicate princess kicking her feet up, head thrown back, with her white hair spilling onto the grass like flowing milk. Only a miracle was keeping her from falling backwards, yet this seemed to be the least of her troubles. The necklace jumped with each laugh, bouncing off her body. Minnie was disorganized, nearly a complete mess, so very the opposite of her proper and refined self that had entered the forest only hours earlier.

As Mickey looked upon her, it may have been the blood rushing to his head and nearly euphoric thrill from the swing ride that convinced him that Minnie loved him. She must, she simply must love him, and he saw no reason why she would not. Breathing hard, his emotions took over, he seized one of her tiny little hands, brought himself forward, and pressed his lips to hers. With it, he attempted to convey just how deeply he too loved her, how he had always loved her, his hand holding hers firmly in his grasp. He loved how petite she was, how kind she was, he loved her laugh and her beauty and her curiosity and he felt there was nothing of hers he did not love and felt he would drown if he could not show her all of this. There was no blood or air in his body, just love, streaming through everything.

Mickey eased the hold on Minnie's hand, and there was a sudden THUMP.

Opening his eyes, Mickey now saw the princess flat on her back on the grass, though her legs were now hanging loosely from the wooden plank, causing her tight nightgown to go nearly backwards, exposing that her legs, too, were also a bright white. Minnie's arms were spread out, her eyes were wide, and for a split second, he panicked that she was bleeding, only to realize the scarlet all over her face was in fact her blushing, extremely highlighted by her white fur. Minnie's expression, clearly, was surprise, but it did not appear to be from the fall. If anything, Minnie barely noticed she had fallen at all and exposed her legs. Quite obviously, it was the kiss that had done this to her. She had been surprised by the kiss.

If she had been surprised by the kiss, then she didn't expect it, and was not expecting any such affection from him, which had the dangerous implication that she did not love him, and that it had all been in his imagination, or so said the confused logic that was Mickey's thought process. All strength left him, and mortification, with hints of heartbreak, nearly made his legs give way. It took time for him to speak, and it contained far less enthusiasm and cheer than normal. "Are…Are you okay?"

Minnie nodded once, then twice, and then her eyes went downward, seeing what happened to her legs. Jerking up in a sitting position, she pulled her legs back, and yanked down hard on her nightgown to cover them up, sitting on her knees. Once Minnie smoothed down her dress three or four times, she timidly lifted her head to look back at him, hands resting in her lap. Mickey stepped off the swing, standing in front of her, feeling he owed her an explanation. "I-I'm sorry…" he choked out, feeling each word as another dagger to his heart. He had ruined everything, so he told himself. "I-It's just, I… I…I…" May as well say it, just to get it over with. "I… like you, so much, and…"

It felt entirely inadequate to reduce that he thought of her during every waking moment to just 'like', but it was all Mickey could allow himself. There was a lump in his throat, painful, but he continued to speak, and soon found he had no control over his words. "I-I just, thought, maybe you, and I…could be… together, like, y'know, cause - cause I've always, thought, that, maybe, um…that I always wanted…t-to be at your side, and…help you, and take care of you, and make you happy…"

As Mickey's rambling refused to become any more coherent, he seemed to be unaware of the growing smile upon his lady love's mouth. With one hand on her chest, possibly to slow down the pace of her racing heart, Minnie reached out and shyly placed her other hand atop of his, and it shut him up at once. Minnie's eyes appeared to shine – tears? She blinked slowly, trying to disperse them, but they came anyway. When she spoke, her voice was soft and quiet, and he was sure if he was just a few footsteps away, he would not have heard her. "Do you…really mean all that?"

The way she asked it seemed to carry all the weight in the world, despite its light tone, and Mickey fell to his knees. "Y-Yeah! I do! I meant it all, I swear!" Possibility was now high, but why was she crying? He didn't understand it, and felt an urge to wipe them away, but didn't trust any of his own actions for the present. His mouth, however, needed no such permission. "I-I…I love you!"

A squeak of a gasp came from Minnie, and one hand was to her mouth in shock. Yet her smile still remained, and in fact was bigger, was wider, and the tears flowed, and breath was gone. She hiccuped, and now tried to wipe away her tears with her own hands, laughing breathlessly. "F-Forgive me…I must look like such a mess…but, oh, oh, oooh…" It was nearly a groan, and she forced her eyes open, and to keep them open. "I'm…so happy. So very happy…"

Tears of happiness, Mickey finally understood. So his impulsive actions were actually good? So she actually did enjoy that kiss? So she loved him too? He didn't bother to ask or wait for these questions to arise, and suddenly grabbed Minnie by the arms, pulling her into a tight embrace. He could feel the necklace pressed into him as they held each other, her arms now around his neck not out of a necessity, but a want. His own cheek grew wet as they nuzzled their faces together, taking away her tears, and having her curl up right on his lap.

"Oh, Mickey." It was nearly a whimper into his ear, almost unable to believe this was real. "Oh, Mickey. May…may I kiss you?"

As they faced each other, Mickey wore an amused smirk. "You don't have to ask." He certainly didn't, after all. But her society's norms could not be twisted in a day. So Mickey allowed Minnie to set her own pace, as she put her hands on his shoulders, looked him up and down, and then, taking as much time as one could, she closed her eyes, and touched his lips as a butterfly lands on a flower. His had been demanding, desperate, all consuming and all knowing. Hers was frightened by the thoughts behind it, shivering at the warmth his body was giving off.

In another hour, they would have to part and attempt to live normal lives separately. But in that moment, one kiss became two, became three, became endless and happy and eternal.

Yet this was far from happily ever after. It was only the beginning.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always, big thanks to my editors Drucilla and BlueShifted. They pointed out a few interesting things to me - Horace and Pete are sort-of antagonists - in the views of Mickey and Minnie. (And I've gotten people to like Pete based on this version, so GO ME)
> 
> The ballet scene was one I've had in mind since this first story bubbled in my mind, and I imagine it to (once again) Hall Om Mig. What can I say, it's a great song!
> 
> Originally Mortimer was going to be a one-note villain, but thanks to a friend sharing songs, specifically A Story Told from the broadway musical The Count of Monte Cristo, I got an idea of how to give him motivation, backstory, etc.
> 
> Finally, the 'boys bullying girls' thing is something I strongly believe in. BOYS BULLYING GIRLS DOESN'T MEAN THEY LIKE YOU, IT'S JUST AN EXCUSE TO BE A JERK. I have strong feelings about bullies mmkay.

Now that Mickey and Minnie were together, the simple happiness they had on those forbidden nights wasn't enough. Now, they wanted to be at each other's side every hour of the day, despite knowing the impossibility of such desires. Minnie struggled with her patience, but Mickey had decided to throw it all out the window on a blistering hot day.

He'd told Goofy of his success as they escaped Horace's lessons once again. Goofy nodded along, adding his own thoughtful opinion here and there. The bodyguard was pleased his prince was happy and wished he could find the same kind of happiness with the dancer at the bar, though he'd yet to tell Mickey this. To Goofy it was a matter about the right time and place, but since Mickey was almost always talking of his lady love, the bodyguard hadn't found a way to interject with his own troubles. As their enjoyable chase went on, Goofy thought of telling Mickey about Millie, but as they neared the Forbidden Forest, it was easy to push her away and focus on what was in front of him.

They hadn't played together in the forest for years, since they were children, and Goofy slowed down as they left the city walls. Mickey only stopped when he noticed Goofy had, having been on a rambling tangent about the feel of his fingers through Minnie's hair. They had an awkward staring contest until Goofy swallowed loudly. “Mickey...you ain't thinkin' of goin' into the Moon Kingdom durin' the day, are ya?”

“I sure am!” Mickey crowed, hands on his hips, proud and unapologetic. “I've got the whole kingdom memorized, I know where to hide! I'll just sneak on up to Minnie's place and surprise her in her bedroom! She'll get a real kick out of that!”

“But that seems really dangerous, Mickey.” Goofy's body began to slump. Surely someone as clever as Mickey should know the obvious risks. Goofy didn't like arguing with Mickey, but he didn't want his friend to get hurt or worse because he'd gotten a craving for princesses. “There's gunna be folks all around and I can't protect ya there. Can't you just wait until it's nighttime again?”

“That's exactly it, I _can't_ wait!” Mickey sighed in exasperation, refusing to look at logic when love was much more fun. “If it'll make you feel any better, I'll make it a quick visit. I'll be back before you even know it.”

That didn't make Goofy feel better, and he felt even worse when he heard: “Back from where?”

The prince and his bodyguard slowly turned to see Horace standing nearby, crossing his arms. Mickey wondered if Horace was getting faster these days or if his need to gush about Minnie had slowed them down. When neither of them answered the question, Horace growled. “Back from _where_ , your Highness? There's no-where else you can go.”

Mickey glanced to Goofy, who was shaking his head no, then back to Horace. Having them both against him was like having them both against Minnie. Mickey drew himself as tall as he could, trying to look like what he supposed his father looked like in his prime. “I am your prince, which means I am your boss, so if I order you to mind your business, then buzz off!”

“You _are_ my business, and my pain in the neck!” Horace was hardly intimidated, crossing his arms and making a similar pose. “Your _father_ is my boss, so I'm the one giving orders here!” Goofy began to shrink down and down between them, covering his head with his arms. “Now, I know you'd never try to trick Goofy or mess with his head, so you must have meant 'somewhere' when you say you'd be back. But there's no land outside of this forest...” The teacher paused, and then his eyes widened as large as saucers. “No. No, you're not possibly thinking of going into the Moon Kingdom. Even you're not that boneheaded!”

Mickey hesitated for the briefest of moments before turning his head to Goofy. “ _You_ have to obey my orders at least, right?”

Goofy didn't like where this was going, but he began to straighten up. “I sure do, Mickey.”

“Then I order you to keep Horace busy until I come back.”

Horace immediately ran forward, intending to grab Mickey by the shoulders – but Goofy seized Horace by the wrist, dragging him back. “Hold it!” Horace flailed, trying to turn the situation around. “I work for the king, and you have to obey the king's orders, so my orders are the same as his! So I order you to let me go!”

“I order you to keep him there!” Mickey shouted.

“I order you to capture Prince Michael!” Horace shouted back.

They continued barking orders, leaving Goofy befuddled as to what to do. Mickey and Horace had many arguments before, but this one had far more bite and real anger to it. It made Goofy's stomach turn, and he was tempted to run away and hide. But he fought the cowardly temptation, letting Horace go and taking two steps back. “I am gunna kick my sandal off!” he suddenly declared. “And if it falls to the left, I'm doin' what Mickey says, and if it falls to the right, I'm doin' what Horace says.”

Both parties were too surprised to give it any objection, and before they knew it, Goofy had already kicked his leg hard and high. The footwear flew straight up into the sky and Horace wondered if this was how people settled their debates long ago. Perhaps the old methods were best. He watched the sandal as it came up and down, landing on Goofy's right. Horace grinned smugly, lifting his head. “Perhaps the Phoenix is on my side!” That moment of glory lasted for three seconds – apparently Mickey had started running when Goofy kicked.

Horace let out something that was a mix between a scream and a groan, clutching his pointy ears, ready to rip them off. “We have to go after him! If someone spots him, it could start the whole war up again!”

Goofy picked up his fallen sandal. “If they spotted us, wouldn't the same thing happen?”

“You pick the worst times to use your brain!” Horace snapped, his mind racing in panic. He started to go after Mickey, but then came back, then went after him again, but then came back again. “If the King finds out about this, I'll never teach again! He might even banish me for letting this happen! I have to fix this before it gets broken! But I'll stick out like a sore thumb over there...unless...unless I heal that thumb and look like a regular finger on the hand!” He pointed to Goofy, his body shaking. “I order you not to tell anyone that Prince Michael ever went into the Moon Kingdom!”

This was working out rather well for the bodyguard. “Okey-dokey.”

If Horace wasn't seeing his life flashing before his eyes, he might've questioned why Goofy wasn't so shocked about any of this. But Horace had a plan to enact as soon as possible, so he ran back into the Sun Kingdom to make some unusual purchases. From what he knew of the Moon Kingdom, due to history scrolls and veterans of war speaking their tales, their fashion was all encompassing and as blue as the fresh sky. With that in mind, Horace bought far too much fabric, followed by a gigantic jug of blue dye. His outfit didn't need to be perfect, it just had to pass inspection. It would have helped if Horace had a passing knowledge of sewing and proper dyeing techniques, but since he didn't need to teach that to royalty, he knew little of these matters himself. It took an hour for him to make an outfit that covered everything from the neck down, and he didn't wait for the dye to settle in before slapping the clothes on and running.

Horace's mad jogs were a familiar sight in the kingdom, but the blue footprints he left behind did raise a few eyebrows. A few chuckled and said perhaps teaching that rascal prince had finally driven Horace nuts. But no one gave it any serious thought and the day went on. Goofy decided that someone as smart as Horace would surely find Mickey and bring him home without any declarations of war. With that deep faith in his friends, he went to Panchito's bar and took his usual place to stare at his favorite lady.

When Horace left the Forbidden Forest and stood at the Moon Kingdom's ivory walls, fear made his heart pound loud enough to rattle his ears. He wasn't a soldier and knew for a fact he wouldn't survive as one. If this didn't work, not only would he be killed by those bloodthirsty Moons, but so would the prince, and everyone in the Sun Kingdom would suffer. He quietly prayed to the Phoenix for both guidance and protection.

After a few long, steady breathes, he began to walk inside. It was the duty of a teacher to protect their student, even if their student had bricks for brains. Horace wouldn't abandon his young charge. His steps were agonizingly slow, as if expecting to be captured within seconds. Initially, he didn't even dare to look up. As a result, he saw that instead of mud and sand dirtying his shoes, he was walking on cream colored tiles that turned darker as he moved on. There was the sound of running water nearby, and it so surprised him that he stopped walking.

Water was a careful resource in the Sun Kingdom. Whenever it rained, all citizens would run out with pots and jars to capture as much as possible. Horace gazed upon the canal and a hard jealousy twisted in his chest. No one was even using it! _Just like the Moons_ , he thought, to be so _wasteful_. They probably enjoyed the idea of the Suns suffering in thirst. Horace grumbled and mumbled with his insane prejudices, cursing the Moons and their fortunes, until he saw his reflection in the water.

He'd never seen his own reflection like this before. Even bath water had to be carefully measured. He'd seen his own face in glass and mirrors, but this was different somehow. Horace touched his cheek, noting his black fur had gotten darker as he'd gotten older, and little lines were under his large eyes. The passing of time had never been clearer to him. As he looked, he saw other people's reflections as well as they walked on by – and his heart seized up as he realized they were looking at him as they walked.

Try as Horace did, his thrown-together ensemble didn't match the stitched uniforms and dresses all around him now. No one was accusing him of being an outsider, but he was getting more than just raises of eyebrows. He found strength in his weak legs to walk quickly – but not too quickly, he didn't need more attention – in order to find a clothing shop. Surely there had to be one, and surely they had to use the same currency, and surely his luck wasn't this bad. After a few hasty turns, he came upon a well-dressed mannequin in a store window – though it took him some time to figure out what it was. 

Without making eye-contact, Horace slipped into the shop, speaking very quickly that he wanted what the 'doll' was wearing. The shopkeeper squinted, but decided that enough gold was enough to silence her curiosity. Horace almost changed right in front of the elderly shopkeeper before noting her puzzled expression becoming even more puzzled. Impatient and desperate, Horace grabbed the mannequin and dove into the first room he found. He didn't care it was a size too small, he didn't care if the shopkeeper was charging him twice as much as the price tag said, and he didn't care that the other customers had stopped shopping to listen to him changing rapidly. All he cared about was finding the prince, and then going to a medicine man and find out how many years this adventure had taken off his life.

After paying and heading for the exit, he heard the shopkeeper give a snobby sneer, "And good day to you, sir." with each syllable dripping with acid – at least that's how it sounded in Horace's head. He didn't realize the shopkeeper just had a spitting problem. Grinding his teeth, Horace jerked the doorknob in his hands, and slammed it open - 

_BONK!_

He stopped where he was. The Sun Kingdom didn't have doors, so there were still some things to get used to. However, in his experiences so far, doors were not supposed to go _BONK._ Nor were they also supposed be followed by the sound of _THUD._ Walking outside, he closed the door behind him, trying to locate the source of the odd noises. The answer was a female cow that was now laying semi-conscious on the ground.

Horace dropped his small satchel of gold in horror, dropping to his knees at her side. "Oh, no, no, no..." Attempting to lift her halfway into his arms, he patted her cheek several times, trying to wake her. "Miss! Miss, are you all right? I'm dreadfully sorry!" Though he didn't like the Moons, that was no reason to do them harm. Not to mention, it just wasn't nice to smack doors into women. Fortunately, her eyes were beginning to clear up.

Clarabelle Cow had been out and about, ready to do some shopping since the man she worked for would be busy all day. Perhaps a sleek new coat, or a tighter corset. So distracted was she in her future purchases that she didn't see the door coming. Now as she was reeling from the throbbing pain in her face and head, she was contemplating how to best yell at this jerk. Her vision began to strengthen so now she could get a proper look at this horrendous person. Shaking her head, she glared right at him.

 _... Hello, handsome_ , she thought.

"Miss?" Horace pulled his hand away from her cheek, still very concerned. "I said, are you all right?"

Clarabelle's glare vanished, and was replaced with a very happy smile. "That's sooo sweet of you to worry about little old me!"

"I...did hit you with a door..." He jerked a thumb back at the supposed attacker. "Like I said, I'm really sorry, it was an accident. If there's anything I can do to make up for - "

"Take me out to lunch!"

"...for...hurting...what?"

She was now sitting upright all on her own strength, clutching his hand close with both of hers. "There's this fabulous place near the edge of the kingdom, and I've got in good with the owner, I can get us a good window seat!"

Horace looked at her, then their hands, then back to the door, and then back to her. Was this really happening? For a second, he wasn't sure if this was better or worse than starting the war up. "Um...I, well...that's...very flattering, but, you see, I have a prior engagement..."

"But you said you wanted to make up." Clarabelle yanked his hand in closer. "After so viciously hurting me, without even looking where you were going. So what's more important than apologizing to me?"

Explaining his real reason for being there would do him little good. Besides, Horace was supposed to be blending in with the kingdom. If he rejected her, would she make a scene? Making airy gestures with his free arm, it was impossible to come up with a legitimate excuse. "I...a-all right, but just for a - "

"Great!" She sprung to her feet, dragging him with her. "Oooh, this is going to be grand! Honestly, whenever I get a day off of work, the best things happen!" Clarabelle refused to let go of his hand, humming happily as she dragged him along.

Horace felt as if he'd never stop holding his breath.

~*~

Clarabelle's boss hadn't told her why he wouldn't need her today and she hadn't cared. He wasn't sure how long this would take, but he was hoping it would be an all-day event. One wasn't summoned to the castle for a mere quick visit. He didn't know the exact reason he was being called, but maybe it had to do with his popularity, or his smarts, or his academia, or maybe – even though this should've been a secret – the unique power he'd been practicing. Whatever it was, he was eager to show it all off.

Pete stood at the castle doors and squinted when he saw the unfamiliar young man head toward him. Pete banged his fists together, wanting a good rumble. “And who are you supposed to be?”

“I'm not supposed to be anyone,” the man said, tugging on the collar of his extremely long coat. It trailed off a good foot or two behind him, causing anyone who wasn't paying attention to trip over it. Six different shaped pocket-watches hung off his chest, each one shinier than the last, enough to blind Pete if he stared for too long. “We can only be who we are! I am Mortimer Rodawn, and my presence has been requested at the castle at exactly this hour.”

Pete slumped in disappointment. “Yeah, yeah, I got told we were expecting you.” Another day without a good fight, or even a fun argument. He opened the doors with a heavy push, walking inside. He then put a hand near his lips and shouted – despite the castle's size, he honestly believed that he'd be heard instantly. “Hey, your Highness! That Rodawn guy is here!”

Mortimer followed quickly, staring at the large cat. “You get away with that kind of language? To a royal? Don't tell me your hairballs are made out of solid gold!”

Pete grunted, but didn't retort back. It wasn't anything worse than how Drake or Scrooge would say about him and to be honest he didn't know why he was still around. The princess had slipped out of sight more than once and he'd never gotten a single punishment for it, save for sleepless nights of panic. In the beginning, Pete was happy enough to get away with it, but now it'd become so glaringly obvious that it made him think, and he hated thinking. Why did the Queen keep him around?

Queen Lune sat on her throne, Scrooge McDuck at her side, cleaning his spectacles. Pete bowed casually, but Mortimer only gave a few inches with an arm over his chest. “It is an honor to formally meet you, your Highness,” Mortimer said, making sure to tug again on his coat once he was completely straight.

“Mortimer Rodawn.” Queen Lune watched him stiffly, examining each and every little aspect about him. “You are an expert in history, a scholar who has studied every year of our kingdom. You have published several books about our past, and I have read every one of them. For someone as young as you, you have an apt way of keeping the details of times long since passed. Explain to me why you chose this path.”

Mortimer kept on a charming smile and Pete marveled that, unlike most people who first met the Queen, he didn't show an ounce of nervousness. To Mortimer, it was as like having tea with your grandmother. “Well, I missed my big chance with the war, since I wasn't old enough to join in when it was still being fought. My entire family has consisted of soldiers, so I'm the only one who never got to give it a try. But I find history a fascinating subject! People back then had no idea of their importance, and people right now don't know if they'll ever be remembered. Each and every single day of our lives contributes to history! There are no bit parts in the theater of life.”

Queen Lune strummed her fingers on the armrest of her throne, quietly taking his attitude in. “Well said,” she finally decided, beginning to rise. “You come from a very prominent family. The Moon Kingdom owes much to the services of the Rodawns. In addition, you got along with Princess Minerva when you were both children.”

Mortimer slapped a hand onto his chest, inhaling far deeper than necessary. “It was a sad, sad day when I couldn't come and play with her anymore, but I've always believed I gave her exactly what she needed. I treasure those memories more than all of my books!”

“Then keep those memories in mind. Come with me.” Queen Lune walked into an adjacent hallway, with Scrooge and Mortimer tailing her. Pete should've gone back to his post, but after a moment of mental gymnastics, decided to tag along if no one told him he couldn't. 

One room in the castle was designed and used only for ballet dancing. It had been deemed the best form of exercise for royalty, being both strenuous and graceful at the same time. In the ivory white room, Minnie was practicing alongside Daisy, and the other girls whom her ballet instructor often brought along so they could bounce their skills off one another. Lately, the instructor noticed Minnie's dancing had improved in leaps and bounds. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it was like Minnie's dancing contained more life and emotion.

Scrooge silently opened the door, allowing the Queen and Mortimer to look inside without disturbing the dancers. Daisy and the girls were doing basic pirouettes, their light purple tutus spinning in harmony. But as they stepped apart, they could all see Minnie was doing her own routine, and all at once everyone's gaze was captured.

It is often said that when someone is in love, that is when they are their most beautiful. Never was this more true than with Princess Minnie, her hair in a swirling braid that seemed to dance in time with her, Mickey's necklace swaying off her neck. Every motion of her hands carried euphoria, every arch of her heel echoed the flight of angels, and her splendid eyes appeared to reflect the ocean's surface. None could know she was imagining dancing with Mickey, yet everyone felt a pang in their hearts, which felt familiar to some and frightening to others. One of the walls of the room contained a gigantic mirror, and instead of reflecting Minnie, it gave the audience the illusion that two goddess had taken over the floor, that two forms of Aphrodite were giving their blessings to all lovers on the mortal plane.

As she turned, Mortimer and Minnie's eyes met, and for a maddening second, Mortimer was convinced Minnie was deeply in love with him. Even he could see that was a foolish notion after a decent blink, but that rush wouldn't leave his mind any time soon. Minnie felt a rush of her own, but it wasn't anywhere near as pleasant. She faltered and fell over in a heap, her braid beginning to untwist. Daisy ran to her side, helping her up, and now all the dancers saw they were in the presence of the Queen.

Queen Lune nodded at their curtsies. “You are all dismissed early.” She waved one hand and without another word, the instructor urged the girls along out the exit. As Daisy helped Minnie to her feet and smoothed down her hair, she wondered why Minnie had begun to tremble. Minnie managed to control it by the time the Queen and Mortimer entered the room, but there was still a crack in her sweet smile.

“Minerva.” Queen Lune gestured to Mortimer, who had to remember to smile. “This is Mortimer Rodawn. You may recall he was your last playmate when you were a child.”

“Oh, of course I remember Sir Rodawn.” Minnie curtsied again, her cheeks straining. “It is a pleasure to see you again.”

“The pleasure's all mine!” Mortimer took a big step forward, taking Minnie's hand before it had been offered. “But what's with this 'Sir' stuff? We were best friends! Surely you can still call me Mortimer! Ha-cha-cha, look at you! Look how you've grown! You're a young woman now! When I last saw you, you were just a kid!”

“People tend to grow up,” Daisy muttered under her breath.

“But I mean really!” Mortimer squeezed Minnie's hand tightly. “You are gorgeous, you are beyond words! Those other girls must feel lower than mud, being next to you! I bet they're all going home to cry into their pillows because they know they'll never be as good as you!”

Minnie moved her eyes toward her mother, trying to blink out the words 'help' in morse code. “I didn't know we'd be having any visitors today.”

“With your recent escapes,” the Queen replied thinly, her eyes narrowing, “I didn't want to risk you avoiding Sir Rodawn. A proper ruler should be ready for anything, and face it with wisdom and dignity. In a few days time, Sir Rodawn shall be living with us in the castle, for an observation period.”

Minnie made a choking nose that she tried to pretend was a sneeze. Mortimer, who still hadn't let go of Minnie's hand, grinned with all of his teeth showing. “You honor me, your Highness! Why, this'll be like old times! You and me, Princess, together again!” He began patting her hand with his free one, and even tugged her in closer. “You remember those games we used to play? The knight and the damsel? The sailor and the mermaid? I tell you, those were the best times of my life, and I know they had to be yours too! I almost wish we could play them again, but adults have their own kind of fun, don't they?” 

“I remember them,” Minnie answered in a quiet voice, still only looking at her mother and not Mortimer. “M-Mother? I would be more than happy to show Sir...Mortimer...around the castle, but I think it would be much more polite to do so in my formal wear.” Every word came out of Minnie's mouth faster and faster, hurrying to get out.

Queen Lune stepped aside. “You may go change.”

“Thank you very much mother!” Again, Minnie rushed out her words, scurrying out of the room with Daisy struggling to catch up.

Once they were in the safety of Minnie's bedchambers, Daisy slid out of her ballet slippers. “It's hard to tell with you, but I think you've gone pale.”

“Oooh, I can't believe this!” Minnie whined, flopping onto her bed and gripping the bed sheets. “Of all people in the world, she wants Mortimer Rodawn to live here?”

Daisy hopped onto the bed, reaching to undo Minnie's hair. “He sounded like he had a pretty good time here. What about those games he mentioned?”

“The knight and the damsel,” Minnie recollected with a shudder. “He made me be Rapunzel so he could pull on my hair, pretending to climb it! The sailor and the mermaid...I was the mermaid when he pushed me into mud puddles! He was always so mean, and he thought his jokes were hilarious!”

Daisy picked up a brush, beginning to go through Minnie's white locks. “And the reason he's still alive is...?”

“Whenever I complained to my nannies, they said that's how boys played with girls. That it meant they liked you.”

“What nonsense! It means they like making you miserable! Didn't you ever tell your mother?”

Minnie pulled out the sun and moon necklace, rubbing her fingers over it for a sense of comfort. “She's always disappointed in me...I didn't want to upset her further. Eventually I told her I was too old for playmates, and that I needed to focus on my royal duties.”

“Smart move.” Daisy lightly took Minnie's arm, flipping the princess onto her back. “Look, for whatever reason he's here, he can't be here forever. And I'm here now, I won't let him lay another hand on you.” For extra assurance, Daisy leaned down to give her best friend a warm hug. “Everything will turn out okay, it always does.”

Minnie returned the hug, but let out a sigh, looking toward the balcony. “I wish I could see Mickey.”

Daisy nestled herself against Minnie, not ready to leave her embrace anytime soon. “Just wait a few more hours, I bet he'll see you tonight.”

When Minnie didn't reply, Daisy tried it again. “You can wait a few more hours, right? …Minnie?”

~*~

Despite pinching every inch of his arm, Horace found that he was not dreaming. He was in what the Moon people called a 'cafe', wearing Moon clothing, eating Moon food, and talking to a Moon woman. Technically, he argued with himself, she was talking to him. He'd barely said a word, afraid to give himself away. He also hadn't paid much attention to what she was saying, constantly looking out the window for any sign of Prince Michael.

Clarabelle wasn't the brightest mind but she had her limits. “I can't tell if you're a really good listener or you're just looking for a way out!”

Horace flinched, his rattling hands trying to steady his mug. “I, uh, I'm sorry! I'm...this is a really bad day for me.”

Clarabelle crossed her arms. “Was meeting me so awful?”

“No! No, well, it's...I can't...” Horace pondered if this how Goofy felt on a daily basis, trying to give an answer to a simple question. “How can I put this...I...I've been having trouble with my student?”

Since she finally got a nugget of information out of him, Clarabelle managed to knock some anger out of her voice. “So you're a teacher. What's your student like?”

As everyone in the Sun Kingdom knew Prince Michael, Horace had never been asked that question before. He let it out before he could stop himself. “He's an insufferable brat who thinks he knows better than anyone else! He has a great mind, but he uses it for pranks and laughs! He has no respect for anybody! Somedays, I think the only way he'll learn information is if I beat him over the head with it! I just want to help him! I want him to be the great man he could be, but he insists on making my life miserable!” He only stopped once he ran out of breath, and as he panted, he expected laughs and jeers, as was common whenever he complained about Michael.

When he got neither, Horace glanced up, wondering if Clarabelle had heard him say anything. But to his surprise, she nodded slowly – she was listening! She sympathetically clicked her tongue. “I'm so sorry to hear that.”

Horace opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. “You are?”

“Well, of course! Children can be so difficult. You're doing your best, but they can't see the effort until it's too late.” Clarabelle wagged a finger. “Teachers should be given the utmost respect. They're shaping the next generation! Why, I think what you do is sooo admirable.” She topped off the compliment with a smile, and sipped her tea.

Horace was in love.

He then promptly slapped his hands to his face to stop that ridiculous train of thought. Surely he hadn't gotten that desperate for praise! “Th-thank you.” Horace forced the words out in a thick tone, trying to see if he could find any Moon snobbery or deceit in her words. Try as he might, she sounded sincere, right down to her sweet smile which made his heart skip a beat or two. “I was actually looking for my student when you found me. I have no idea where he could be, or what kind of trouble he might get into. And when he does get into it, it'll be all my fault.”

“Now that's hardly fair,” Clarabelle replied, trying to see his face through his hands. “You're not perfect! No one is! If he makes a mistake, those are his mistakes, not yours! Maybe if he actually did get in trouble, that would give him a real lesson.”

“It would be really, really, _really_ big trouble.”

“How big is big?”

Horace knew he couldn't keep this loop of misunderstood information up forever. Either he'd slip up or she'd catch on. As if he physically felt the oncoming war's weight on his shoulders, he sank further and further into his seat, his elbow's slipping past the table's edge until he was face-first into his plate. “I can't say, but rest assured, you can't _fathom_ the amount of trouble he will cause.”

Clarabelle couldn't tell if Horace needed a hug or a good dose of aspirin. “Do you want to know something my boss tells me?”

“Why not.”

“Whether we know it or not, every day is an important part of history. Not because of what happens, but because of how we remember it. So how do you want to remember today? Worrying over a bratty student like you, apparently, do every day, or enjoying a nice cup of tea with a new friend?”

Horace didn't reply right away, looking back at her. Life couldn't possibly be so simple, but then she didn't have his troubles. Despite this, Clarabelle really was trying her best to cheer him up. He supposed there wasn't much he could do about his problems right now, unless Prince Michael suddenly showed up outside. And what were the chances of that? “You...may have a point. Maybe I've just been talking about myself too much.”

“I like learning about you.” Clarabelle smiled again, and her hand touched his for a fleeting second. “But maybe we can talk about things that don't annoy you?”

Horace felt a tingle in his lips, something that may have been a precursor to a smile. Except he didn't get a chance to see if it was, as he spotted a far too familiar orange tinge on the roof across the street.

“THERE YOU ARE, YOU DEVIL OF A MOUSE!” Horace slammed his hands on the table, having immediately forgotten where he was and who he was among. His mind was already back in the Sun Kingdom, up to his usual chase routine. “I'M GOING TO TIE YOUR TAIL TO YOUR BEDPOST!” He sprinted out of the cafe, ran for the opposing building, and began furiously climbing up the wall, determined to wrangle this stubborn cattle back to the farm. By the time he made it to the roof, Mickey had already jumped off to the next one, having heard the tutor hail his death wish. The far too tight clothing on Horace made it so he had to choose between chasing Mickey, or continuing to describe desired punishments. Since the chase was far more important, his mouth was saved for exhausted panting as he too went from roof to roof. This made a few less people stare when they heard noises on the roofs above, as when they tilted their heads to look, whatever was there was already gone, so they shrugged and went about their day.

Clarabelle stayed in her chair, staring at Horace's empty seat, while the other patrons of the bar stared at her. Eventually she finished her tea, mumbling to herself, “Mama was right. I always fall for the weirdos.”

~*~

Whether it was fate or coincidence, but while Mickey was trying to get to the one he desired, the one he desired was trying to get to him. While he was flying over the rooftops, Minnie was in the streets, trying to lose Pete, having as little luck as her beloved was. Mortimer had thankfully been far more interested in learning about the castle layout to join in. It had been Minnie's idea for her and Daisy to split up, so Drake Mallard would chase after Daisy thinking he had them both. The princess thought she'd have an easy time evading someone as large and none too bright as Pete, but it seemed he earned his way into the army – he was fast and determined.

Daisy had objected to the plan, saying it was too soon and too dangerous, but she'd yet to realize the monster she created. After hearing all of Daisy's swooning talk of love and forbidden tastes, Minnie craved them so desperately that common sense was set aside. All she could think of was Mickey, Mickey, Mickey, eternally bright and shining Mickey, whose kisses were deep and powerful, whose eyes were blazing and intense, and the boy who loved her in a way she hadn't known she needed.

As for Pete, he'd never admit it, but this was a thrill for him as well. Finally, something to do instead of standing at a door waiting for trouble that never came! The only thing that could make this better was battle, but the princess was no real opponent. He'd drag her back to the castle without breaking a sweat. It was the catching up part that was making him sweaty. And if she was heading into the Forbidden Forest, which it certainly looked like she was doing, he was going to sweat up a whole river.

But neither of these people mattered to the single person inside the exact middle of Forbidden Forest. After all, Peg didn't know either of them. She proudly rolled her wooden cart to a stop and stepped back to admire her handiwork. It'd taken years, but she had at last saved up enough money to open up her own mobile fruit stand! Four wheels, a pretty sign, sturdy handles, and of course her own home grown fresh fruit that was sure to gain her more customers than she could count.

Peg cleared her throat and walked around. “Get your fresh fruit here!” She announced to no one. She had wanted to practice her salesmanship in private, but privacy was a difficult thing to find in the Sun Kingdom. Everywhere you went, someone else was already there, more than eager to listen in. Peg wanted to perfect her calls before going public and the Forbidden Forest was the best place to do so. “I grew each and every single one of these babies myself! What you're smelling is hard work! If you thought my dancing was good, my fruit is even better! One bite, and you'll be dancing yourself!”

 _Not too bad_ , she mused to herself, unable to stop grinning. No more dancing for her! No more men throwing money at her just for shaking her hips! She'd be a woman of worth, someone to be proud of! She had claimed her future! Peg slapped her hands on her hips, gleefully taking in her prospects. “The Phoenix himself blessed my wares!” she boasted, knowing she was going a bit far, but who cared when you were all alone? “You heard it here first, folks, the Phoenix is looking out for me!”

Peg didn't hear the soft scuttle of ballet shoes on grass as a princess swiftly ran behind her. Peg did hear the lumbering crash of her cart, smashed to smithereens by a hefty cat who had plowed through it without looking or caring. She turned around to see the damage, and for a long, far too long, time, she was quiet.

Several feet ahead, Pete lunged and grabbed Minnie by the arm, hoisting her up in the air for good measure. “A-ha! Gotcha, Your Highness!”

“Oooh, Pete, let me gooo!” Minnie whined, kicking her dangling feet so hard that one of her shoes fell off. “You don't understand!”

“And I don't care, neither!” Pete sneered, letting Minnie drop to the ground. “You gave me a real work out, but now we're goin' back! And for once, the Queen ain't gunna snap at me for doin' a bad job!”

“Pete, please!” Minnie was on her knees, ready to beg if need be. “Won't you listen to me? I promise I can explain myself, but you can't tell Mother!”

“Who do you think you are?” Pete crossed his arms, snorting hard through his nose. “In case you've forgotten, you're not ruler of anyone or anything yet! The only person who can give me orders is the Queen! And I need another lady barking at me like I need a kick in the head!”

That was when Pete got a kick in the head.

Being a dancer was surprisingly good exercise, and a good dancer was often very flexible and agile. This was how Peg was able to deliver a flying foot into Pete's face, sending him onto his back while she stood on his stomach. “Do you have any idea what you just did, you walking tub of lard?!”

Maybe it was the slight concussion in Pete's head, but he wasn't entirely sure what to make of this barely dressed cat woman. All he could get out was, “You kicked me!”

“You're lucky I don't rip out all of your rotten teeth, you gigantic load of animal droppings!” Much like Horace, and most of the Sun Kingdom, Peg had no shortage of insults at her disposal, especially when she was enraged. “Ash for brains! Horse's behind!”

Pete tried to sit up on his hands. “Do you have any idea who you're talking to, you skimpy little floozy!”

“I don't care if you're the Phoenix himself! You ruined my life's work! You're going to pay me back every single coin that cost me!”

“I ain't payin' you anything, you dumb dame!”

“Yes you will, you buck-toothed buffoon!”

“ROTTEN LITTLE CHICKEN-NECK!”

“BIG FAT FOOL! UNDERSIDE OF A CAMEL!”

“I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND THAT ONE!”

“NO SURPRISE THERE, YOU MORON!”

By this time, Pete had tried to swipe at Peg, and she'd delivered more swift kicks as they exchanged derogatory and often confusing words. Amazingly, it was the exact thing Minnie needed to see to realize that maybe venturing into the Sun Kingdom was not for today. She picked up her dropped ballet shoe and tied it back on, hoping she hadn't been acting anything like these two. She walked around them and headed back to her own kingdom.

Pete and Peg continued to argue for hours until they wore themselves out physically and mentally – and until Peg snatched a satchel of money off his belt. “If I ever see your face around here, I'll make you EAT these coins, you...you...” By this time she had run out of good comebacks, and had to settle. “Jerk.” Not very strong, but it would have to do. She stomped on back home, but when Millie would ask what happen, Peg would leave out the Moon suspicions – her next fruit cart didn't need to have rumors about bringing in Moon people.

As for Pete, he and his broken nose also went home, and also decided to tell no one a Sun woman thoroughly kicked his behind. He was even tempted to say Minnie hadn't run away at all, she'd only intended to go on a brisk jog. Let Drake fume.

Funny enough, as Pete iced his nose for the rest of the day, he wondered why felt he better than he had in years.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always, big thanks to my editors, Drucilla and BlueShifted Thanks to their suggestions, you may learn more about Goofy's family in the future.
> 
> This chapter is more of a 'look at what the side characters are up to' sort of deal, since many characters make up a kingdom. Also making Goofy into a badass is something that needed to be done and will be done again in other stories.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING : This chapter contains attempted sexual assault, I figured it was only fair to warn those who can't handle that.

Two nights after the prince and princess' failed attempts to see each other, they made due with their usual meet-up in Minnie's garden far past sunset. They exchanged their disastrous journeys, laughing in amusement – though Minnie omitted the part about Mortimer being in her life. She wasn't sure how to explain it to Mickey, and worried about his reaction.

This time, Mickey had brought along a small satchel containing many fruits from his kingdom. As they bit into melons and juice dripped down their chins, Mickey slapped his leg. “What we have to do is plan together this time.”

Minnie was bundling up her hair, so it wouldn't get sticky from the juice. “What do you mean?”

“I'm saying we have to make a schedule of seeing each other during the day! Plot it all out to the last detail. And I already got somethin' in mind.” He paused momentarily to lick his fingers. “In three days, Horace has a day off, so he won't be chasing me around. So you just have to get away from your guards. I'll meet you in the Forbidden Forest and take you all around the kingdom! I'll get you a disguise and everything.”

Minnie smiled, letting her clumsily-made braid droop down her shoulder. “Mickey, you're so clever! If that works, we could see each other much more often!” After giving him a congratulatory clap, she began to plot. “It would have to be after I do the morning ritual with mother...” But before she could map her day out any further, her sense of curiosity struck. She looked at Mickey, her eyebrows raised. “You know, you never told me what your kingdom does with the Sun Talisman!”

Mickey had been about to reach into the satchel for another piece of fruit, but here he hesitated, sparing only a quick glance to his dear. “Uh. Huh. I guess I didn't.”

“We use the Moon Talisman to control the water levels here,” Minnie explained, though she'd already told Mickey this, her hands pressed together in excitement. “What does your do? Control the heat? Control fire?”

Mickey still declined to look directly at her, idly scratching his cheek. “Uhhh. Well. See...we have no idea what it does.”

“No idea?” Minnie repeated, incredulous. “You've never used it?”

The prince of the Sun grumbled quietly, his cheeks pinking. He had wanted to keep up the image of the cool, wise man to his beloved, but in order to always be truthful to her, he'd have to crack that image. “...I'm going to tell you what happened to it, but you have to swear not to laugh.”

Minnie was now sitting on her knees, trying to lean over and see Mickey's face, her excitement obvious. “Happened? Something happened to it? Oh, Mickey, tell me, tell me!”

Mickey uncomfortably cleared his throat, closing his eyes so he wouldn't have to see Minnie's reaction. “My old man wasn't sure what to do with the Sun Talisman and didn't want to risk accidentally getting the Phoenix angry, so he put it on a pedestal. I suppose he figured we'd think of something eventually. But one day, when I was a kid – and I mean a little kid, Minnie, you remember that! - I was playin' with Goofy...he'd just started livin' with us in the castle, he's a few years older than me, part of the tradition and all that.” He took a deep breath. “We were playin' hide and go seek, but Goofy was taking forever to find me and I was getting really hungry so when I saw the Talisman, I...thought it was a giant cookie.”

Mickey hoped he didn't have to explain it any further, and to both his relief and embarrassment, Minnie shouted, “You ate it?!”

Mickey finally looked at her, eyes narrowed. “I said I was a little kid. And really hungry!” Hungry enough to swallow the whole thing despite it being impossible to chew. He'd been a stubborn child, who turned into a stubborn teenager who didn't feel Minnie had to know every single last detail of his youth. Thank goodness it'd only been as small as his palm or he wouldn't be alive to be embarrassed.

Thankfully, Minnie hadn't sworn not to laugh, because she would have broken that promise and felt terribly guilty about it. As it was, she felt free to giggle hysterically, with her hands over her mouth. She could picture tiny Mickey with his grubby hands, pushing over the pedestal and eagerly shoving the foreign object in his mouth. Mickey managed to crack a smile – Minnie's laugh was a precious melody. “You think that's funny, huh? I'll give you somethin' to laugh at!”

Mickey threw himself at Minnie, his orange hands tickling her sides. Minnie shrieked an objection, laughing even harder as her skin was extra sensitive. When she tried to push him off, he grabbed her hand and kissed her palm before tickling it as well. “M-Mickey, that's not fair!” she heaved between fits of giggles. “Anyone w-would have laughed at that story!”

“Well, you're not just anyone!” Mickey countered, leaning in to leave a necklace of kisses on Minnie's throat. “You're my Minnie, and don't you forget it.” When he saw her actual necklace, the sun and moon linked together, the treasure she'd never removed, he felt satisfied with his revenge and laid his head on her belly. As Minnie caught her breath, she sat up, and fondly stroked Mickey's ears as he lay on her lap.

Despite Daisy's wild imagination filling Minnie's mind, and Mickey needing to be active in all he did, there were many times when the royals were happy to just sit in silence. They couldn't understand it themselves, but there was a certain kind of peace achieved by basking in the others' presence. It was made better by the quiet understanding that this happiness was mutual – there was no self doubt or worrying here. Often they heard nothing but nearby crickets and the whispered hush of their names.

After one such whispered hush, Mickey turned his head and lightly brushed his fingertips along Minnie's cheek. “I don't get it.”

Minnie touched his hand, pressing it in closer. “What is it?”

Mickey smiled, thinking what he was about to say was a genuine compliment. “I don't get how you don't have a million suitors at your door, wantin' your pretty hand.”

For half a second, Minnie thought maybe the Sun Talisman granted Mickey mind reading abilities. She faltered, clinging onto Mickey's hand tightly as she tried to find a way to change the subject. “W-well, I, ah, um...I wonder the same about you! Y-Yes, why don't you have a dozen lovely ladies trying to marry you?”

Mickey shrugged one shoulder, dismissive. “Eh, I get that kinda nonsense all the time.”

“What!” This time Minnie did drop his hand, but Mickey didn't mind.

“My Pa's always trying to find me some gal to marry so I can give him grandbabies,” when he rolled his eyes, he missed Minnie blushing hotly. “At least once a month he parades the daughter of some soldier or the sister of a high ranked merchant or blah blah blah.” He mimed the passing women talking with an open hand closing over and over. “Never liked any of 'em. He'll probably keep at it until we find some way to introduce you to him without setting the war off all over again.”

As always, Mickey's confidence floored Minnie. He had such faith in their relationship that he could speak of these women to her and know she wouldn't be angry. Minnie touched her chest, flattered by his sincerity. If he trusted her so deeply, then she should trust him too. “Mickey...Mother is trying to marry me off to someone.”

Mickey yawned. “Is that so?”

“His name is Sir Mortimer Rodawn. I knew him when I was a child, but he was a horrible brat. He's a scholar now.” Given that Mickey was nodding along without much change in his expression, Minnie felt relieved. “I avoid him whenever I can, which isn't all that easy, since he lives in the castle now-”

As soon as the words left Minnie's mouth, Mickey sat up abruptly, almost knocking her over. “He's livin' with you?!”

Minnie moved back an inch, surprised. “Well, yes, to see if he fits in with – Mickey, what are you so upset for? You have a woman trying to woo you every month!”

“That's different! I see 'em once, they don't live with me!” He then squinted, looking his girlfriend up and down rapidly. “He hasn't gotten his hands anywhere on you, has he?” Without waiting for her to answer him again, he tackled her down. “You just tell me where and I'll make it clean! Shoot, forget that, his ugly eyes have been all over you, I know it!” Mickey seized Minnie's arm and began to leave a trail of desperate, hot kisses up and down in order to eradicate Mortimer's presence completely. 

There was a fine line between endearing behavior and annoyance, and Mickey was straddling it. Calling his name wasn't working, so Minnie slapped a hand over Mickey's mouth, making him stop. She wanted affection, but not as a result of useless male pride. “For goodness sake,” Minnie said once her heart stopped racing. “Instead of losing your mind...how about we make a promise, and a reminder?”

Minnie held up her necklace, and placed Mickey's hand on it along with her own, much like Mickey had done the first time they met in the marsh gardens. “I promise to love you, and only you, for the rest of my life.”

Mickey's face softened and he let out a chuckle before nodding. “I promise to love you, and only you, for the rest of my life.” He was still miffed about Mortimer's presence, but promises made on this necklace were mystical things in his mind. It was if the gods themselves were in the necklace, keeping their promises tightly bound. Mickey laid beside Minnie and held her, the two of them lapsing into silent happiness once more.

~*~

That same night, two other people were also going over a plan, though theirs was sinister instead of sweet. In the Moon Kingdom, the Beagle family was infamous for their petty crimes and more than half of the bloodline had been captured by Drake Mallard for crimes such as theft and robbery. As they stood in their wet basement, doodling over a borrowed map, they went over the details again.

“Listen, it's real simple,” said Big Time Beagle, the elder of the two siblings. “I don't know why I have to keep explaining it to you, but this is the last time.” His tattered clothes had been sewn together, so much that it looked like he was wearing the remnants of twenty clothes at once. He saw this as a badge of honor instead of poverty.

“Can't we just have the boss explain it again?” asked the younger yet taller brother, Bankjob Beagle. He was constantly growing out of his own clothes, leaving his hairy ankles for all to see. “It ain't that late, why don't we stop by his-”

“Shhh!” Big Time stuck a finger to his lips, and looked around the empty room. “That was part of the deal, dummy! We can't say his name ever again! And we don't need to bother him for what I already know!” He spread his hands out on the map, dusting off some crumb marks from dinner. “In three days, you and me sneak into the Sun Kingdom, and find out the state of their army. Learn their weaknesses and strengths. Be real spies. Then we get back out, report our findings to the boss, and we get paid!”

Bankjob scratched his abnormally large chin. “But Big Time, if we get caught, ain't the whole war gunna start up all over again?”

“So what if it does?” Big Time smirked, pointing to the Forbidden Forest on the map. “If a war's going on, they'll be too busy to catch crooks! But for now, we just do what the boss says. We still gotta work on our disguises.” He pulled back, shaking water out of his shoe. “And one more thing...no matter what happens, we can't get distracted!”

Banjkob nodded and gave two thumbs up. “Sure thing, Big Time! Nothin' in that old crummy kingdom could distract me anyhow.”

~*~

Three days later, Millie was waiting in the open doorway of Panchito's bar. Her plan was going at a snail's pace and while it was frustrating, she had to remind herself that the future payoff would ease all the wrinkles made from this stress. Today she figured she'd catch Goofy before he could plop himself in his usual place, gazing at her helplessly from the entrance.

She bit back a smirk as her prediction came true. Here came Goofy, humming a merry tune, dragging his spear in the dirt as he headed towards the bar. As he came closer, he picked up his weapon and slid it onto his back so it could be carried by the loose half belt he was wearing. But as he lifted his head and saw Millie, he dropped the spear in shock.

Millie beamed, waving at him. “If it isn't my favorite solider in the whole wide world!”

Goofy blinked, looked around, and then behind him, before pointing at himself. “Who, me?”

“Of course you, sweetie.” Millie flounced over to his side, picking up his spear. “I got so excited to see you, I just couldn't wait.” As she returned the weapon to its owner, she made sure to press herself up against his arm. “Did you miss me too, handsome?”

Goofy gulped as he slipped the spear onto his back, darting his eyes away. “I-I guess so, Miss Manchester.”

“Awww, why don't you call me Millie?” She playfully tapped his nose. “You're going to hurt my feelings if you treat me like an old lady. And since you're such a big, strong man, that would hurt a whole lot!” She twirled and tittered, fluttering her eyelashes at what she knew was a fairly pathetic joke. In her experience, men didn't want girls who were funny – they wanted girls who _thought_ they were funny. If she was pretty and dumb, a man would follow her like a cat and string.

Goofy tilted his head, blinking slowly as he observed her. “You all right there, uh, Millie?”

Millie stopped her twirl with a hard heel in the ground, her bells continuing to jingle. “Why, whatever do you mean, silly?”

The bodyguard crossed his arms, mulling over the way to put it. “Seems like you're puttin' in as much effort to talk to me as you do when you dance.” A pause. “And that's a lot.”

The dancer croaked like a frog, feeling color drain from her face. “I...I don't know what you're talking about, you big hunk of...” Millie had been so caught off guard by his observation that she was running out of flattery. She turned away, trying to come up with an answer. “Well, ah. Oh, yes! You see, this morning, I had no soy sauce for my rice! It was the worst. I almost couldn't eat!” She then clapped her hands together. “Say, I have an idea! Why don't you and I go out to lunch? Just you and me? I would pay, but oh, gosh, I simply have no idea where I put my coins! I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached to my neck!” She turned back, intending to playfully stick out her tongue and maybe strut her tail out, but Goofy had vanished from sight. The only remains were his footprints.

Millie deflated, her alluring demeanor replaced with a sour disposition. “I hate men.”

Peg stuck her head out of the doorway, having overheard the last remark. “No luck today, huh?” Since her fruit cart has been smashed, she had gone back to dancing in order to start up her business all over again. 

“I don't get this guy!” Millie groaned, her arms flopping at her sides. “Every time I look away, he heads for the hills! At this rate, I'll have to race him before I can marry him!”

Peg walked out, putting a sympathetic hand on her friend's shoulder. “Yes, curse yourself for being so pretty,” she joked lightly. “Keep your eyes on the future, it'll be there before you know it. Just be patient, you'll never get him if you keep rushing things. You don't see me ranting and raving because I had to build up my fruit stand from scratch again.”

Millie turned her head. “How did that happen, anyway?”

“When I'm rich, we can discuss it.”

The poodle shook her head, and pulled back. “Well, I'm still going to get lunch. Tell Panchito I'll be back in an hour or two.” The girls kissed each others' cheeks and went their separate ways.

Millie wondered if Goofy was worth all the trouble and all the acts she was putting on. In the end, maybe even he wasn't dumb enough to miss that she was a dancer and nothing more. She was a toy that men would outgrow and toss away. She had to win him over, quickly, before time won and he couldn't ignore the imperfections of a sagging, wrinkled body. Millie pinched her cheeks, trying to think of other things. _Getting old and ugly isn't the worst thing in the world,_ she told herself. _There are more horrible things out there._

One of those horrible things suddenly reached out from a dark alleyway and snatched her.

~*~

In the Forbidden Forest, Mickey was helping Minnie put on her disguise – which was only an old, far too large brown cloak that covered her from head to toe. He apologized for not finding one in her size, while Minnie struggled to walk. As they tried to make the sorry excuse of an outfit fit, Minnie passed the time by doing her usual inquisitive routine. “Shouldn't we have your bodyguard with us? Just in case?”

“Aw, we'll be fine,” Mickey said, hoping Minnie hadn't realized he'd accidentally undone one of her elaborate buns. “He's been off doing his own thing for a while now. If he's having fun, I don't wanna interrupt him.”

Minnie smoothed down her dress. “That doesn't really sound like the sort of thing a bodyguard should be doing. How did he get that job, anyway?”

“It's all in the family. His old man guarded my old man, and back and back and back. He's got all the training, but he's never been in a real fight. Y'know, I've always wondered what he would be like if someone actually did pick a fight with him.” He offered a light smile. “I'm sure my best buddy would figure something out.”

~*~

The Moon People were used to cold temperatures, so the heat of the Sun Kingdom was causing the Beagle Boys to sweat profusely. In order to try and “explain” it, Big Time had quickly purchased a small wooden lantern with a burning candle inside. He had hoped the heat from the candle would explain the sweat. It wasn't a well-thought out excuse, but time and smarts didn't always go hand in hand. He had also hoped this would be the only deviation from the plan.

“Geez, Bankjob,” he grumbled quietly in the tight alleyway. “You're like a kid in a candyshop, just grabbing whatever your sticky fingers can find.”

Bankjob grinned maliciously, holding Millie against the wall, one hand over her mouth and the other pinning her wrists to the wall. “I can't believe this, Big Time! It's true, these Sun floozies really don't wear nothin'!”

Millie had tried to bite Bankjob's hand but he didn't even acknowledge the attempt, nor the hot tears flowing down her eyes. Big Time rubbed his temples. “Yeah yeah, it's real fascinating. We got a job to do and it ain't to grab broads!”

“Aw, c'mon, we've got all day to spy!” Bankjob never took his eye off his prize, even as he shook off the turban that had been part of his disguise. “Gals like this, they're made to please! I'll get it done real quick, then we can get back to business. She won't even know what hit her! You can have a turn when I'm done! Please, please, please?”

Big Time inhaled loudly through his nose. “I ought to call you Babyjob with all that whining.” He wiped sweat off his forehead with the back of his arm, giving Millie a once over, as she made a desperate attempt to kick her attacker. Even that did nothing, save for Bankjob calling her feisty. “Fine, fine, but you gotta be real fast about this.” He checked his candle as a representation of time when an unusual sound hit his ears. At first he thought it was grinding gears, which should have been impossible given where they were. He then realized the sound was coming from the alleyway entrance, and the grinding gears were actually a grinding growl.

Through watery eyes, Millie didn't recognize Goofy at first, but even as she blinked them dry, she was unable to recognize the face he wore. His lips were pulled back, exposing that while his front teeth were square, the rest of his teeth were sharp canines, glinting in the candlelight. A broken bottle of soy sauce lay abandoned on the ground. Goofy's eyes were blazing as they burned down on the Beagles, and with his next step, he landed on all fours, his fingers digging into the dirt. “Put. Her. _Down._ ”

“What's this supposed to be?” Big Time asked with a nervous laugh, not willing to admit how much this dog was creeping him out. “This is their idea of security? Bankjob, take care of him.”

Bankjob released Millie, who slowly slid down on the wall until she was sitting down. “Me? Why me?”

“Cause I'm the older brother, and I said so!”

Bankjob huffed, but smashed his fists together, advancing on Goofy. “It's lights out for you, you dirty Sun!” As soon as Bankjob was close enough, Goofy jumped onto the Beagle, ripping and tearing at him with claws and teeth, snarling in such monstrous noises that Big Time was sure to hear them nightmares to come. Bankjob yelled in pain and horror, barely able to shove the monstrosity off of him. Goofy rolled on the ground, but was up in seconds, ready for round two. In that same moment, Big Time threw the lantern at Goofy's back, wishing it'd be enough to drive off their opponent. But as the candle's flame touched Goofy's tattoo, it did the exact opposite.

~*~

Minnie had managed to figure out how to walk, as long as she held onto Mickey's arm. He came up with the idea to tell people she was an old lady who needed help getting from here to there. As they neared the kingdom, Minnie's curiosity rose again. “Is Goofy's father a good solider, at least?”

“I think so.” Mickey shrugged as they walked. “Never saw him in battle myself, since the war was over before I was born. But whenever my Pa was in the battlefield, Goofy's Pa went with him. He's in the history scrolls. I think they used to call him something like...Danger Dog, or Double Dog, or...”

~*~

“DEMON DOG!” Bankjob screeched in fear, pointing wildly at what was in front of him as if no one else could see him. If the Beagles had done their mission properly, they might've learned beforehand that the tattoos on the soldiers were more than decoration. It was made out of a special flammable ink, so now Goofy's back was lit aflame, only serving to remind him he had a weapon. He withdrew his spear, spinning it around so it too could catch flames and become even deadlier.

Big Time chose a poor time to learn that lives were worth than money, as he attempted to run away. Goofy sped after him, taking him down and giving him a taste of what Bankjob had received. Bankjob showed slightly more loyalty, grabbing Goofy by the legs to pull him off his brother, but to his misfortune Goofy was able to handle two enemies at once. Goofy's spear thrust and jabbed, sliced and flew, the flames biting wherever his teeth couldn't. It was difficult to tell if he would've spared them if they asked it, although the brothers were far too terrified to say much of anything. Within one more minute, both bodies were thrown at the opposite wall, now in such agony that it ached just to breathe.

Goofy now stood tall, pointing his spear at the sniveling thieves. “ _Leave._ ”

Maybe he was sparing them out of a small sense of mercy. Maybe he knew on some level that they were Moons, and exposing them would reignite the war. Maybe he was more concerned with making sure Millie was okay than giving the Beagles to the proper authorities. It could have been any of these reasons, or none of them, but the would-be spies weren't inclined to ask. Both Beagles had never run so fast in their entire lives. They contemplated committing a crime in the Moon Kingdom just so Drake would lock them up and they'd be super safe from whatever had attacked them. By this time a few heads had poked into the alleyway, wondering what the noise was, but all they saw was Millie still sitting in a stupor and Goofy rubbing his back against the wall to smother the flames. The townspeople assumed he'd done something ridiculous and went on their way.

When the spear was back in place, Goofy looked down at Millie, and offered his hand. “Sorry.”

Millie took his hand, but found the strength in her legs had yet to return. As a result she had to lean on Goofy for support. Her body trembled, both from what she escaped and what she had seen Goofy transform into. It was if there were two different Goofy's, and the other one had vanished, like it had never happened. “What are you apologizing for?”

Goofy placed an arm around her shoulders, keeping her steady. “I went and broke that bottle of soy sauce you wanted.” He gestured to the bottle on the ground. “Should I clean that up?”

For once, Millie took a good long look at Goofy. There was more than just simplicity in his voice and looks – he hadn't thought what he just did what he was amazing, or even noteworthy. But then she understood it wasn't simplicity – it was sincerity. Inside and out, with everything he did, he was sincere. She swallowed, and buried her face into his shoulder, feeling more tears come. “I don't care about that.”

“Okay.” Goofy slowly stroked her hair, allowing Millie to cry for as long as she needed.

~*~

The Forbidden Forest seemed much bigger to those who hadn't thoroughly explored it like Mickey had. That was why Peg thought she could bring her latest fruit to the forest, and have no chance of running into that big buffoon again. She had stacked them perfectly, and while she didn't have a cart to sell them in, she could still make an attempt to sell her beauties. She had even given them kisses for luck. “Okay, invoking the Phoenix was just asking for bad luck last time.” Peg said out loud, nodding to herself. “This time, stick with the facts.” She rolled up what little sleeves she had, ready to practice her boasting skills.

That's when she heard rapid footsteps, and her breath caught in her throat. “No, no no no no!” She grabbed all the fruit she could with her arms, getting them out of the way of the miniature stampede. It was just in time, as the Beagle Boys – still screaming and, in some places, still on fire – ran past her without a second thought. They hadn't noticed her at all and her fruit was untouched. She sighed in deep relief, placing them all down again.

Peg took a few steps away from her prized possessions, feeling positively giddy. “Maybe the Phoenix really is on my side after all! Keep that up, big guy, and I'll dance for free for the next guy I see!” She laughed hard, hands on her hips.

As said before, the forest was much bigger to those who hadn't given it deep exploration, like Pete. He'd easily figured out where Minnie would run off again, and while in the forest, he'd heard the sounds of running, assuming they were coming from the princess. So he'd headed in that direction, again not looking where he was going, again trampling over Peg's hard work, and again continuing on like nothing had happened.

At the end of the forest and near the entrance of the Sun Kingdom, Minnie was trying to even out her breathing. “Oh, Mickey, I'm so excited...and nervous. It's like the beginning of some great adventure story.”

Mickey held her hand close to his heart. “See, what'd I tell you, I've got everything under control! If this is a story, then we're the heroes, and nothing bad ever happens to the heroes. No side characters, just you and me!” He gave her a small kiss, which she returned.

The kissing was put on hold when they both hear a very tiny thud far off in the distance. Minnie pulled her hood back a bit. “What was that?”

Mickey placed her hood back. “Ah, probably nothing, don't worry about it. Maybe a tree fell over.” No, but Pete had, when Peg threw her arm around his neck and tried to jam a slice of melon skin where the sun didn't shine. Mickey and Minnie linked arms again, and headed into the kingdom, where they thought nothing all that interesting happened that day.

~*~

That night, many stories were exchanged. Minnie told Daisy of the bustling marketplace in the Sun Kingdom, where she bought a small child a doll made of straw. Mickey told Goofy about how the cloak had a tear in it, but due to Minnie's naturally white fur, people assumed she really was an old woman. Again, Mickey left no room for Goofy to say any of his stories. Millie told Peg about her heart-pounding encounter, while Peg only said she exchanged bruises with a rough customer.

The last story told that night was from the Beagle brothers to their employer, not leaving out a single detail. They didn't care what punishment he'd give them, because it certainly couldn't be worse than what the hell-hound had done.

But when they were done, their boss chuckled as he poured a glass of wine for himself and his guests. “Punish you? Whatever for? You did just as I told you to.”

Big Time and Bankjob exchanged confused looks. Big Time took the lead as always. “We did? 'Cause last time I checked, getting the stuffing beaten out of us wasn't part of the plan.” He didn't take the offered glass, but Bankjob grabbed them both, downing them both at once.

“What have I been telling you, boys? History is made by those who remember the important parts, and your little...altercation won't be remembered. Instead, what the history books will say is that you two were masterful spies who led us to victory.” He took a seat on a plush chair, crossing one leg over the other.

Big Time scoffed. “If you're really planning to go to war with those...things, you'll have a tough time getting the win! No wonder it was a tie for all those years!”

“That was then.” The boss held up his glass. “And this is now.” Mist slowly began to appear around the wine glass, and within seconds, the red liquid inside was frozen completely solid.

Big Time and Bankjob's mouths hung open in shock, causing the wine in Bankjob's mouth to drool onto the ground.

The boss sighed in annoyance and snapped his fingers. “Clarabelle!”

The maid walked into the room, a towel in hand. “I had the same reaction, the first time I saw it,” she admitted as she knelt down to dab at the mess. She doubted anyone outside of his home had seen this nifty trick of his. He was officially living in the castle now, but had the freedom to return to his home to do research, so he said.

Bankjob was so stunned he forgot one of the big rules. “B-But, how did you do that, Sir Mortimer?” While the Sun people had the ability to control fire, the Moon people had the ability to control water. But no one, not even Princess Minerva or Queen Lune, had the power to freeze.

Mortimer smiled sharply, enjoying their wide eyes. He lightly tossed the frozen glass to the ground, expecting Clarabelle to pick up the pieces. “All in due time, my friends. History is nothing but time.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always, big thanks to my edtiors Drucilla and BlueShifted. It's thanks to their suggestions that you get to learn about Goofy's parents, and Pete's past!
> 
> Wilbur, and Goofy's ~mysterious mother~ were OCs created by myself and my friend Ange. We won't see Wilbur again, probably, he's just too big to fit anywhere else! But did you think Mickey and Minnie were the first forbidden couple between the kingdoms?
> 
> Also I'm not sure why, but I really enjoy the concept of Donald and Minnie with a familial bond, like a big brother/little sister thing. I'll be actually making them related in future stories, but for now it's a bond without blood.

There were many old wives tales still passed around the Moon Kingdom and while Donald tended not to believe most of them, there was one he still clung to. It had been said that regularly bathing in extremely cold water helped one harden their heart so you could more easily control your emotions. Donald had been taking these baths at least once a day for years, and while he wasn't entirely sure if it worked, it'd become such a ritual with him that he didn't dare stop. But every day that his temper caused embarrassment, he'd make sure the next day's water was colder. Just in case.

Donald had finished one of these routine baths and was about to put on his usual outfit when his uncle Scrooge opened the door without permission. “Hurry along, nephew, or you'll be late!”

Donald let out a squawk, grabbing his tossed aside towel to wrap himself up. “Hey, I'm not done in here! Give a guy some privacy, will you?”

Scrooge ignored the complaint, walking inside with the help of his old withered cane. He was a frugal man, and saw no reason to get rid of a perfectly good cane just because it was splintered and hideous due to age. “Another one of those frozen baths? Must you do this every day? Think of all the money you're wasting!”

“You're about to give me one of those long opinions I don't care about, aren't you?” Donald grumbled, reaching over to grab his trademark hat.

“With every bath you take, that's another bath closer to making rings in your tub, which you'll have to clean. I won't pay for servants to do what you're capable of! And every time you take off your clothes, that's another wrinkle to wrangle with...” Scrooge continued to list everything Donald was apparently doing wrong and by now, Donald had learned how to drown him out. Why the old man was so adamant about saving money was beyond the younger duck. Being castle employees paid phenomenally well and the Duck family never wanted for anything. Donald suspected that future generations of Ducks would continue serving the royal family, so not a single Duck would ever know what it was like to be poor.

“One last thing, nephew.” Scrooge seemed not to realize he had been ignored. “How is Sir Rodawn fitting into the castle?”

Donald had only paid attention due it being the “last thing”, but he paused, trying to put a memory to the name. “Oh, that guy with the giant honker?” Seeing his uncle ready to wallop his noggin, Donald was quick to change his answer. “I mean, Sir Mortimer Rodawn, the potential fiancé for Princess Minerva? Yeah, I've seen him a couple of times. Not enough to know him, though. He usually drags Drake around the castle so he can have every room memorized, then he goes back to his place.” A shrug followed. He also found Mortimer a little bit on the obnoxious side, but in Donald's opinion almost everyone in the castle had an obnoxious side.

“Then you need to get to know him.” Scrooge now faced his nephew, poking him in the chest. “That man could be your future king. It's important that he adjusts to the castle and, in turn, the castle adjusts to him. Watch him, observe him, learn about him. Your opinion is going to be very important.”

At first Donald wasn't sure he heard right. “What? Since when is what I think important to anyone?”

“It's important to her Highness, the Queen.” Scrooge seemed to stand up straighter as he talked about the Queen, which was something Donald never failed to notice. Donald had once made the incredibly foolish decision to ask if his uncle had any romantic feelings about the Queen, which earned him three hours of tongue-lashing after five good bonks on the head. Eventually he understood that Scrooge's devotion to her Highness was pure loyalty, an admiration that didn't just come with the job as the Queen's adviser. “We will all report to Queen Lune about Princess Minerva and Sir Rodawn's comings and goings, and how they could rule together.”

Donald crossed his arms, allowing his towel to droop. “Here's a thought. Why doesn't the Queen just ask Minerva how she feels about the guy?”

He thought that'd earn him another bonk, but instead Scrooge looked surprisingly pensive. His fingers drummed along the crook of his cane before turning away. “The relationship between the Queen and the Princess is none of our affair. Do your duties and don't question anything unnecessary.” Finally satisfied with what he had to say, Scrooge left the room.

Donald finished dressing and gathered his supplies for today's lesson in a small knapsack. He didn't know Mortimer well enough to decide if he was a suitable match for Minerva, but he liked to think he knew Minerva herself very well. He was fond of her and he mused that maybe his connection to Minerva was much like Scrooge to the Queen. He cared for his pupil very deeply, but there was nothing romantic about it. He wished happiness for the princess, and he was grateful that her unusual running away shenanigans didn't often happen during his lessons.

As he left his room and headed for Princess Minerva's, Donald believed these odd escapes were all Daisy's fault. Minerva was perfectly polite in every way, while Daisy was loud and brash, not caring for anyone's opinion save her own. It was a trait Donald both loathed and admired, wishing she would knock it off while also wishing _he_ could act like his real self. Her bizarre crush on him certainly didn't help matters.

By the time he was in the hallway connecting to Minerva's room, he'd begun to mask his emotions and attempt stoicism in all matters. He knocked three times on her door, his usual signal, before announcing himself. “Your royal Highness, it is Donald Duck, requesting permission to enter your bedchambers.”

“Permission granted, good sir.”

Donald turned the doorknob and entered a pristine, clean room that he could swear was four times bigger than his own bedroom. His jealousy had died early when he realized he wouldn't have any idea what to do with all that space. The princess' room didn't really have anything that spoke to her true nature, and instead had everything that the Queen had when she was younger. The same books on the same bookshelves, the same jewelry hanging on the same hooks – Donald wouldn't have been surprised if these were even the same satin curtains from years ago.

Princess Minerva had a sole desk in the middle of the room, with her dainty feet dangling a good inch or two above the floor. Donald respectfully took off his hat, bowed his head, and put his hat back on before slipping off his knapsack and picking out small vials of colored water. He had a single black stand that was easily knocked off if you sneezed wrong, and as he carefully placed each vial on the stand, he glanced at his student and her lady-in-waiting.

It was kind of startling when the two of them were next to each other like this. Minerva was lavishly decorated in jewelry and finery, her elegant dress spilling onto the floor, and the freshly applied make-up on her face only made her gorgeous eyes sparkle more. Daisy had no jewelry, no make-up, and was choosing to wear a dress that dared to show her ankles. It was as if a grand masterpiece and a plain piece of paper were next to each other, and while he didn't enjoy thinking of Daisy as plain, he had to wonder if the handmaiden did this on purpose.

Donald shook his head, trying to put his attention back where it belonged. “Today, we'll be practicing-”

“Guess what today is!” Daisy interrupted in a sing-song voice, clapping her hands over and over. “It's our anniversary!”

The princess giggled while Donald blinked blankly, unable to understand. “What are you talking about?”

Daisy wagged a finger, though she continued to be all smiles. “You've really got to learn to start marking your calendar, honey.”

“Sir Donald,” he tried to correct, uncorking one of the vials.

“It's been three years since I've come to the castle,” Daisy explained, “But to be more exact, it's three years since the day you rescued me!”

“I didn't rescue you.” Donald managed to keep his voice level and keep out any traces of emotions. “Your Highness will attest to that.”

Minnie had her hands folded on top of the desk, playfully smiling at her best friend. “Rescue is a strong word for it, Daisy. But he did prevent you from getting hurt and I think that's rather heroic. Daisy has every reason to be happy!”

Donald mistakenly let his inner self pop out as he raised an eyebrow. “Princess?”

Daisy continued where she left off, sticking her left foot out further. “I remember it like it was yesterday. Princess Minerva was helping me move in, but then the heel of my shoe broke and I almost fell down a flight of stairs!”

“And,” Minnie added, nodding along, “that's when you grabbed her. Just in time! If you hadn't been there, she could have fallen.”

“Instead, here I am!” Daisy declared far too loudly, arms up to the sky. “All thanks to you! Which is why and how I know we're destined to be together, Donald! And that's why we should celebrate our anniversary! I say we go for dinner, dancing, drinks, and a dang good time!” With that triumphant finished, she slapped her hands on her hips, waiting for his response.

Donald was inwardly feeling many things – annoyance, flattery, confusion, embarrassment – but he let none of it show. Instead he emptied the vial into his palm. “As I was saying, today we'll be practicing water control. You won't have to use it too much, but your average Moon citizen does, and it's important to know their struggles.”

Daisy slumped to her knees, defeated. Minnie leaned over to rub her shoulder affectionately. “It was worth a try.”

Donald kept speaking, and as he did, the water in his hands began to move around in a circular pattern. “Mostly it's a matter of your body telling the water where to go. If you keep up your practice, you can make it go faster, or hold it completely still.” He used his free hand to grab the second vial, uncorking it with his thumb. “Only the Queen has the power to move vast bodies of water, like in the canal, and that's only due to the Moon Talisman.”

Minnie tried not to giggle again, recalling Mickey's short story about the fate of the Sun Talisman. She couldn't imagine swallowing the large talisman that sat atop her mother's staff, at least not without choking to death. Was the Sun Talisman smaller? Did it break apart? She'd have to save these and other questions for her next rendezvous with Mickey, which couldn't come soon enough. As Donald approached, she held out her hands obediently as he poured the next vial into her hands.

“You should practice too,” Donald advised Daisy, grabbing his third vial. “If you have any free time, you should be going over whatever I teach to the Princess. It's not just your job to help Princess Minerva, you should also be protecting her.”

“Protect her from what?” Daisy asked as she too held out her hands. “Everyone loves the Princess. Look at that cute face! You look me in the eyes and tell me you don't love her.”

Again, Donald was caught off. “I – Of course I – that's not the point here!”

“The Princess is always the point.” Daisy smirked, enjoying the shades of the real Donald she could bring out. “Why, are you saying you're in love with the Princess? That's quite different from loving her. Are you trying to educate her in something different, honey?”

The circle in Donald's hand began to drip, as he lost his concentration. “I never said that! I am NOT in love with the Princess!”

“Now you're saying she's not good enough for you?” Daisy knew it would only take a few more words for the Donald she adored to come out. “How terrible. I can't believe you would hate our Princess so much! First, you forget our anniversary and now you say such awful things about our future ruler?”

“WILL YOU KNOCK THAT OFF?!” There came Donald's classic temper, the one emotion he tried to hide from everyone and absolutely failed to do so on a regular basis. “I DIDN'T FORGET NO STINKING ANNIVERSARY, I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH THE PRINCESS, AND I DON'T HATE HER EITHER! YOU GOT ANY OTHER ACCUSATIONS TO MAKE, YOU LOUDMOUTH-IN-WAITING?!”

“Yes,” Daisy chirped pleasantly. “You're so cute when you're angry.”

Upon realizing what he had unleashed, Donald's already red face turned redder, and he grabbed his hat, burying his face into it. He fought the temptation to scream and made a note that tomorrow's bath would have to be three degrees colder. Why did she insist on doing this to him? Nobody liked a foul-tempered man, so why in the world did she? Why did she insist on being so different? Eventually Donald cleared his throat. “My apologies for that, um, outburst, Princess.”

During the spectacle, Minnie had concentrated on the water in her hand, causing it to form a waterspout that swirling over her palm. While Daisy played her game, Minnie had been thinking about other forms of this power. “You're not teaching us this just because everyone else does it. It's in case we have to defend ourselves in battle from the Sun Kingdom.”

Donald popped his hat back where it belonged. “As always, your wisdom shines through, Princess. We must always be prepared in case those savages cross into our land and war starts up again. Aside from conventional weapons, our soldiers and guards are trained to use water to attack our enemies. We won many battles when we got thunderstorms. All of that rainwater made for endless weaponry.”

Minnie raised her eyes. “How many battles did we win without fighting?”

That got silence from both ducks in the room, as even Daisy didn't think Minnie would bring this subject up so soon. Donald swallowed. “What do you mean? All battles are won with fighting. It's in the definition of the word, I think.”

“What about the definition of truce or treaty?” Minnie never broke eye contact with Donald, unnerving him. Where had this boldness come from? “Why was that never attempted? Why do we always think the Sun Kingdom is lying in wait to attack us?”

“Experience tells us, Princess-”

“Have you ever met anyone from the Sun Kingdom?” As she talked, the waterspout in her hands continued to spin, never faltering once. “And I don't mean what happened on my birthday. Is it fair of you to judge an entire kingdom when you've never met anyone from it? Would you like it if someone already hated you when they've never met you before?”

No, he wouldn't, but that wasn't the point – Donald shot a glare at Daisy, automatically placing blame on her. “What ideas did you put in her head this time?”

Daisy held up her hands in protest, but Minnie, in a sudden burst of anger, snapped “I can speak for myself, Sir Donald!” In that moment, the waterspout lost its form and splashed back into a puddle. Just as the water lost its shape, Minnie began to lose her nerve, lowering her head apologetically for her outburst. “I-I just...I don't understand why I have to be exactly like my mother. I know I never will be. And since I can't be, why can't I be my own kind of Queen, with my own ideas?”

It was this sort of familiar attitude that had first endeared Donald to the princess when he began teaching her. Minnie's self-confidence was astonishingly low for someone in her position, and since he had his own problems with loving himself, he felt a connection he didn't feel right to speak about. There were days where he wanted to give her a gosh-darn hug because she sorely looked like she needed it. But, of course, such physical familiarity would have gotten him in heaps of trouble from his Uncle, so he had to make do with being the best teacher he could be.

Donald took the now empty vials and placed them back in the knapsack. “People are afraid of change,” he spoke quietly, “And fear what's different. You can't go changing the way the kingdom works because you feel like it. That's how rebellion starts. You have to listen to your people and understand what they want and why they want it.”

Minnie lifted her head, traces of loose white hair hanging near her eyes. “Then what do you want?”

Donald looked at her, looked at Daisy – who was now reaching over to squeeze Minnie's hand in comfort – before looking back to the princess. “Right now, I want two things.” He approached her again, arms crossed momentarily. “First, for the two of you to be good, quiet students while I continue on with my lessons. And second...” If Minnie was going to challenge norms, why couldn't he give it a small try? He inhaled nosily, and then gave her a sympathetic pat atop her head, hoping not to get his fingers tangled in her hair decorations. “Don't marry that Rodawn guy if you don't love him. Shoot, even I know that a miserable marriage would lead to a badly run kingdom.” He then quickly moved his hand back, launching into the next lesson like nothing had happened.

Minnie wore a surprised smile, unsure if Donald's actions or words caused it if not both. Daisy remained silent, feeling as if she'd been an outsider. _Yet this is the natural way of things_ , she told herself. Minnie would continue to grow and one day she'd no longer need a lady-in-waiting. One day Daisy would have to leave the castle. José had his girls and his club, Morgana had her customers and Drake. Daisy had Minnie.

For now, Daisy tried not to think of the day when she would be all alone.

~*~

After the attack, Millie often came to Panchito's bar, but more for a sense of home. The incident with the Beagles had shaken her, as had seeing Goofy's transformation. She had given Peg the barest of details, and while Peg had sympathized and offered to beat whoever had done it to a bloody pulp, she had also said it was a consequence of their job. Millie hadn't been the first dancer who had been assaulted, and she doubted she'd be the last. She was ready to welcome any distraction, so when she saw Goofy's familiar mug poking its way into the bar, she all but raced toward him.

Nowadays, Goofy didn't stutter too much or shy his eyes away from her. “How ya doin', Miss Millie?”

“Much better, now that you're here.” It was all too easy to slip back into her role as the silly seductress, though there was less of a purr in her voice.

Goofy lowered his head a bit, keeping his voice low. “I saw you weren't dancin' in there. It's okay to, uh, not to be okay. After all that.”

Millie sucked on the bottom of her lip. “Yes, well, that was then, and this is now,” she said hurriedly, hoping not to dwell on it. “I'm perfectly fine, I swear. In fact, I want to pretend nothing ever happened. So let's forget all about then, and only talk about here and now!”

The bodyguard nodded once before replying. “Well, suppose that's all right. My Pa wants to meet you.”

This should have been a good thing, as it was tradition for a boy and a girl to know each other's parents before marriage. Millie's own parents were long in the grave, having died when she was too young to really know them, and thus had made it difficult for her to mourn strangers. Yet to Millie, this seemed rather sudden and she wasn't sure what to make of it. “Really?”

“Really really. He's waitin' back in the house, if you wanna go now, since you ain't dancin' and all.” He then smiled. “My Pa's really lookin' forward to meetin' ya! I've been tellin' him all I know about ya, and all the talks we had, and I think he'll really like you.”

Who was she to waste an opportunity like this when it came so early and easily? “Why, I'd love to meet him too.” She linked arms with Goofy, feeling safer in his presence. Yet she still glanced into every alleyway they passed, as if those grubby hands would snatch her again. Perhaps Goofy noticed her trembling, since he slowed his walk and held her hand before starting up again. The sight of the royal bodyguard and a dancer from Panchito's bar caught many eyes and caused many gossip-filled whispers. 

Millie tried to ignore them by thinking of Goofy's father. She knew little about him, save that apparently he had been a great warrior when the war was still on and had guarded the King the same as Goofy guarded Prince Michael. She also knew that for some reason, Goofy's father had stopped protecting the King a couple of years before the war officially ended. The most popular rumor about that had been that the dog had become so wild and bloodthirsty that he'd gone after his own men, and the King had essentially fired him from his job.

Before Millie's rescue, she had thought the rumor was nonsense, since how could someone as gentle and shy as Goofy come from a monster? But then she'd seen him fight and now anything was possible. To make matters worse, the thing he called a “home” was incredibly small and looked more like a cave. The greed in Millie began to panic.

Goofy sensed none of Millie's selfishness and walked inside, calling out. “Pa, I brought Millie! Come out and say hello!” The inside of the household was nothing to brag about, with cracked walls and tilted chairs, as if spending money on new things was too much of a bother.

A rumble echoed from the next room over and a figure began to move. Millie had thought Goofy's father would look exactly like him, save for being taller and perhaps having a shaggy beard paired with a bend to his spine due to age.

Instead what came out of the adjacent room was a beast that fairy tales warned about. A hulking, large dog-like figured slowly walked into sight, so unusually tall that the top of his head scraped along the ceiling without pain. His arms were also far too long, his furry knuckles dragging along the dirty floor. Though his mouth was closed, sharp teeth stuck outside of his lips. His matted, unclean fur made it difficult to tell if he was wearing any clothing, though she spotted traces of orange fabric on his chest. Worst of all, he had black eyes which seemed to leave no room for the natural white around them, boring holes into whoever he looked at.

Millie might have screamed or fainted had not Goofy ever so cheerfully introduced him. “Millie, this is my Pa, Wilbur Geef! Pa, this here's Millicent Manchester, the lady I've been tellin' you about!”

Hearing this nightmare have such a ridiculous name eased Millie's fear by a small fraction. “A pluh-pluh-pluuuh-pleasure to meet you, sir.”

Wilbur grunted, before turning away and going back and forth between the rooms. It took a minute for Millie to realize he was grabbing bowls and cups, offering lunch to his son and his guest.

“Thanks a bunch, Pa!” Goofy chirped, heading toward the dilapidated dinner table. As he and Millie sat down, he explained, “Not a man of many words, my Pa, but he can always tell what yer thinkin'! He's a real smart one.”

“Of course,” Millie replied, feeling like the chair she was sitting on would collapse if she coughed. “But, well, if I may ask? This isn't exactly what I pictured the home of the _royal bodyguard_ to _his Highness_ to look like.” She stressed the rank, needing to know if she'd latched herself to Goofy and would only get a falling-apart house as her prize.

Wilbur grunted once more, sitting on the floor, as most likely the chairs would snap under his weight. The meal before them was also very simple – in fact, Millie would have been eating this exact same meal had she stayed at the bar. Bowls of rice with little to no flavoring, but Goofy ate it like it was prime cuisine. “Well,” he said after a couple of chews. “when my Pa stopped workin' for the King, he stopped gettin' paid, simple as that. And he doesn't like me spendin' my money on him.”

Millie's eyes lit up. “So you do have money.”

“Course I do. I'm savin' it up. Horace told me I should. Not sure what I'm savin' it up for, though,” After a shrug, Goofy continued eating and talking at the same time. “I figure I'll think of somethin' eventually. Mickey's always offerin' to pay for stuff too. I try to say no, but he's a stubborn little guy. He can be the nicest guy you ever met, even when you don't want him to be. I'm real happy to be workin' for him.”

Millie glanced at Wilbur, wondering if it was all right to use the Prince's nickname so openly, but the elder dog didn't seem to mind. Then again, it was difficult to tell what kind of expression he was wearing, since it never changed. He held his bowl of rice in one palm, licking his meal into his mouth instead of scooping it up like Goofy and Millie did. She didn't like looking at him for too long, so she set her sights back on Goofy. “It must be such an honor to be working for the royals. What you do is so very impressive.”

Goofy almost replied that it wasn't that impressive, since no one was out to harm Mickey, but of course, it was a different story lately. Mickey's adventures into the Moon Kingdom were still only nighttime risks, but he knew full well he'd also started bringing Minnie over to their side during the day. It was only a matter of time before Mickey once again dared to show himself in the Moon Kingdom when the sun was up and Goofy wasn't sure if he could protect him without exposing who they were. “I don't know,” he said after putting his bowl down, “if I can protect him from everything.”

Millie blinked slowly. “What do you mean?”

“It's hard to protect someone who doesn't wanna be protected.” Goofy felt he could speak honestly now that he was with two people he cared for very much, without revealing absolutely everything. “Especially when he needs protection from himself. He only wants me to do my job when it lets him get away stuff he knows he shouldn't get away with. Otherwise, I'm just his pal. And I like bein' his pal, but I got responsibilities. So does he. I wonder if he understands that.”

Wilbur grunted and in an instant, Goofy was smiling again. “Aw, yer right, Pa! I shouldn't be bringing us down, when this is all about gettin' to know each other!”

Millie wondered if Goofy actually understood what his father was “saying” or merely made up what he wanted to hear. “Well, ask away, I'm an open scroll. And I always want to know more about you, Goofy dear.” She didn't dare ask any questions about Goofy's father, which was just as well, since Wilbur continued to say nothing save for an occasional grunt. Thus Goofy and Millie did all the talking. Millie decorated her past to make it more appealing, making the idea of starting to dance at 14 an exciting change instead of a desperate move since she had no talents elsewhere. As always Goofy stuck to the plain truth, even when it would have suited him to leave details out, such as when he first met Horace and accidentally tore a hole in the teacher's pants.

As the conversation began to lean towards future endeavors, a familiar voice spoke stuck out. “I do hate to interrupt, I wasn't aware you were having company.”

Millie didn't recognize the old shaggy man in the hallway, and frowned at the intruder. But when Goofy stood up to bow, she realized this must have been someone important, and copied the motion. King Solaris chuckled, weary. “Well, well, well! What's this I see? A lady in this household at last? Of all the boys in my castle, it's Goofy who lands a woman! And such a pretty one indeed!”

“Thanks, yer Highness, I think.” Goofy said, with a hint of blush in his cheeks. Millie stared – this was their ruler? Was nobody in this Kingdom exactly what their looks said they were?

Goofy was worried that the King would start raving about grandbabies, but to his relief, the King was looking at Wilbur. “I was hoping to have a quick chat with an old friend. Don't mind me, I won't be long.” Although as he headed toward another room, he couldn't help himself, “Excellent child-bearing hips on that one.”

Even Millie began to blush at that, and she and Goofy couldn't look at each other for a moment, though they tried to pick up from where their conversation last dropped off. Wilbur left his bowl on the floor, making his way to follow Solaris two rooms over.

Another tradition in the Sun Kingdom was that if someone died and you didn't have a body to bury, it was respectful to have a small handmade shrine to make up for it. This was the case for Goofy's mother, who everyone believed to have died giving birth. It was a beautiful lie that no one questioned, despite no one in the Sun Kingdom knowing who his mother was. Since Wilbur was such a quiet, private person, it had been assumed she must have been the same way, never leaving the house.

The shrine took up a corner, crafted out of a broken chair, with an endlessly flickering candle sitting in the center. Six blue beads circled the candle and hanging at the top of the makeshift shrine was a cracked scroll that had yellowed in age. It was a messy drawing made by fingers dipped in black ink, making an attempt to draw a womanly dog with puffy cheeks, short hair, and a twinkle in her eye.

Solaris paid his respects, putting his hands together as he neared the shrine. “She looks like a dancer,” he commented, “Not exactly my first choice for a bride, but perhaps it runs in the family.”

This time Wilbur didn't grunt, having already sat down on the floor. Solaris sat opposite him, keeping his voice low, and hoping the lovebirds were so enthralled in themselves that they wouldn't listen to two old men supposedly reminiscing. “No doubt Goofy has told you about my son's unusual forays into the Forbidden Forest and that old woman he helps around the kingdom every now and then. I imagine they both think themselves to be quite clever. And in a way they are. No one else seems to pick up the clues.”

Wilbur continued to be silent so Solaris went on. “My son has the Phoenix's luck, that's for sure, but all luck runs out. I'm afraid to say something, lest the people find out I too have been keeping secrets from them. A kingdom is supposed to stand on the trust and love from our people. I gained so much of that trust and love in a bloody war that everyone is convinced will start up again.” He paused for a moment when he heard Millie giggling. He couldn't see her and Goofy, due to Wilbur's gigantic body blocking the way, but he could picture Goofy having done something clumsily and Millie laughing to let him know all was well.

“Young love,” Solaris sighed, though he wasn't talking about the two in the next room. “It makes them think their love is the first of its kind, and that theirs shall break all barriers and usher in a new age of tranquility.” His eyes fell upon the blue beads on the shrine. “It never occurs to them that someone may have tried to defy convention before...and that a horrible price was paid for it.” His voice broke, and he shamefully closed his eyes. “I can't bear the same happening to my son. I don't know what to tell him. I am so sorry, my old friend, for giving you yet another burden on your heavy shoulders.”

Wilbur slowly took one of the beads from the shrine and held it in his large paw. This sort of jewelry wouldn't be found in the Sun Kingdom, and often he thought his son's eyes shone in the very same manner as these beads, just like his mother's eyes did. He would still say nothing about if he forgave the King in the matter of her death, nor if he had any advice or warnings about the prince. He hadn't been allowed to mourn his love, and eventually silence seemed to be the most welcome option to everything he faced since then.

No, Mickey and Minnie's forbidden love hadn't been the first of its kind. But while Wilbur didn't say it, his own opinion was clear to King Solaris – it would end tragically again.

~*~

Pete and Drake were not on speaking terms, which suited them both just fine. They hadn't gotten along since day one and their continuing failure to reign in the princess caused them each to put the blame on the other man. Pete believed if Drake would cut out the theatrics and his whole Darkwing persona, he'd save time and effort. Drake believed Pete didn't care about his duties and that he should put more life into his day-to-day job.

When afternoon came, it was time for Pete and Drake to switch guard duties at the front of the castle. At first it went normally, with Pete ready to go inside and Drake ready to stand in place. Yet when Pete began to move, Drake noticed something so unusual that the unspoken promise not to speak was broken. “Have you lost weight?”

It had been so long since Pete had heard a compliment that he genuinely didn't realize this was one. “What are you getting at, Drake? You calling me fat?”

Drake narrowed his eyes. “I just said you lost weight, unless it's all between your ears now.”

Pete looked down at himself to make sure Drake wasn't pulling his leg and to his surprise he realized he had been losing weight here and there. Not enough to get out of the hefty range, Pete noticed as he pat his tubby belly, but he didn't cast as big a shadow as he used to. “Huh. Guess all that training is working out for me.”

Drake nodded in approval, tilting his fedora up. “It's about time you started exercising! That way we can better protect the royals and defeat all criminals that cross our paths. What finally gave you the big push?”

Pete smacked his fist into his empty palm. “I've got a score to settle with, uh, someone, and next time we meet, they'll wish they never laid eyes on me!” All of that was technically the truth. That strangely dressed Sun woman continued to kick his can six ways to Sunday every time they met. Whenever Pete had a free moment, he devoted himself to intense physical training in order to prepare himself for the next time they met, which to him seemed inevitable.

Drake's temporary respect for Pete began to dwindle. “That's it? You're working out just to settle some ridiculous score?”

“Don't you call me ridiculous while you're wearing that stupid get-up! I'd think that creepy girlfriend of yours would've dumped you the minute she saw your closet.”

“Morgana is NOT creepy! She's just...misguided.”

“Is that what we're calling con-ladies now? All that made-up magic malarkey is a bunch of nonsense! But you're too busy swooning all over her to do anything about it.”

“What she's doing isn't illegal! She means well! And I'm not going to let you criticize my girlfriend when you've never been on a date!”

“A- _hem_.”

All Queen Lune had to do was clear her throat and any space would be reduced to complete silence. She stood in the doorway, raising a perfectly trimmed eyebrow at the two embarrassed perpetrators. “Did I make an error in assigning you to work here, Sir Mallard?”

“Nooo ma'am.” Drake laughed nervously, arms behind his back. “Me and my good pal Pete were just ribbing each other! Isn't that right, Pete?”

“Uh, yeah, ribbing!” Pete nodded hard, and for extra revenge, shoved his elbow right into Drake's rib-cage. “We're best of pals, ain't we?”

Once Drake was sure none of his bones had snapped, he smiled through clenched teeth. “Thicker than thieves. You'll never regret hiring me, just as sure as you'll never regret hiring Pete...for whatever reason that was.”

Queen Lune said nothing, and turned to leave. Pete appeared to be off the hook again, but he couldn't stand it. All of these times he'd done wrong and nothing serious had happened to him – was it all leading up to some super, big, huge, terrifying punishment any day now, and she was merely toying with him? There was only so much he could stand, and he spoke without thinking as tended to do. “Why _did_ you hire me, your Highness?”

While Drake looked at Pete incredulously, mouthing _why would you ask that, you dummy?!_ , the Queen stopped where she was, her back to both men. “You're saying you don't remember.”

Pete scratched his head, clicking his tongue to his cheek. “Remember? Remember what? All I know is that once the war was over and I didn't have a job anymore, you sent one of those royal servants to my place and told me I'd be working here from now on.”

The Queen didn't budge from her spot, although her hand touched her stomach. “In that case,” she said as she saw herself back on the horrific battlefield, “if you don't remember, it's unimportant.” Perhaps to him, it had just been another day in the war, and he hadn't bothered to see or understand who had been fighting alongside him. “If you are unsatisfied with your job...” Death was so sudden in those battles that their grand king's body had merely joined the others who had given up their life for their kingdom. “Then we can certainly find you another.” Perhaps all Pete had seen was a hysterical woman, her belly full with child, crying wildly as she clung to the deceased man, demanding she die with him.

“Now hold on there!” Pete held out his hands, the very same hands that had grabbed the odd woman and threw her on his shoulder. “I never said I didn't like what I got!” Like how he had said nothing when the woman screamed at him to put her down, to let her die with her husband, that she'd throw him in the dungeons and have him executed for his insubordination. “I'll never say another word about it! I'll get to my next shift right now!” With that he ran to his next shift for the day, which was to guard the Princess' room, as fast as he had ran when he dropped the madwoman behind the battle lines, leaving so he could aide everyone else's retreat.

Queen Lune glanced at Drake, who had stayed in position, not willing to stick his head into this affair any further. “We'll always trust your judgment, your Highness.”

“Just do your duties.” Her voice had become quite softer. “That's all I ask.”

“Yes, ma'am.” Then as an afterthought, since Pete had gotten away with so much, “ _You_ don't think my girlfriend's creepy, do you?” Queen Lune shot him a look, and he quickly shut up. From then on, since the Queen hadn't actually said no, Drake began to brag that Morgana had the Queen's approval.

While it served Drake's ego well enough, he hoped it would make Morgana relax about that dark premonition she had with a “very important customer”.

~*~

That night, when Mickey couldn't visit his sweet princess, he stayed up late practicing something similar to Minnie's water lessons. But while she was learning patience and control, the flame in Mickey's hands was made to grow for attention and dazzle. It turns out the recipe for disaster consisted of tucked away body paint, a bo-staff that had been ignored until recently, and a heart that desired to impress.

Mickey grinned as he watched the flames dance. “This New Year's Festival is going to blow her away.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always, big thanks to my editors Drucilla and BlueShifted.
> 
> A lot of exposition, but hopefully you'll still enjoy it! Used a storybit in there if you can tell. Not much to say otherwise, but we're getting closer to one of my favorite scenes.

Mortimer Rodawn was in the unfortunate position of growing up in a family of soldiers and warriors during a time of peace. He was the only one in his family who had never faced battle himself. Ever since he was born, he' d been told various tales heard from his father, his brothers, uncles and cousins, all who had happily fought for the Moon Kingdom. But when the war was over, the stories didn't stop. Instead they merely repeated, over and over, day after day, all about the glory of battle and the thrill of a defeated opponent. Mortimer had at first found his family's actions admirable, then stale, then annoying, then infuriating – years of war stories had started to sound like bragging, rubbing it in Mortimer's face that he'd never have what they had.

It wasn't his fault he'd been born too late. It wasn't his fault that magical gods had appeared to stop the fighting. It wasn't his fault that both sides were too scared of the consequences to even dare start the war all over again. Mortimer had been deprived of his story before he ever had a choice in the matter, but as he calmly walked to the Moon castle, he still wore his casual smile. There was still time to make a story with his own hands, one where he was the hero. There was just one small problem with his plan.

Big Time Beagle was walking behind him, though he kept his head low, eyes forward, and voice quiet so it was difficult to tell he was addressing the other man. There was still a shake in his step, as sleep was difficult ever since he'd encountered the demon dog in the Sun kingdom. “It's been a while.” It was tempting to politely bring up some small talk, but instead he jumped straight to what was bothering him. “When are we going ahead with the next step of the big plan?” The two of them were walking alongside the river canal, and Big Time kept checking his reflection to see if anyone else was too close to talk.

Mortimer chuckled, his hands in his pockets. “Now, now, patience is a virtue. All the pieces need to be aligned before we can seize the chessboard.”

Having never played chess in his life, Big Time just blinked blankly. “Uh, okay, but we are going in the right direction...right? You have an idea what we should do next? How to take on the Sun soldiers?”

“Of course, but we mustn't be too hasty, my friend. History is rarely made with rush judgments. When the time is right, we'll know exactly what to do.”

Big Time narrowed his eyes, having a very unpleasant epiphany. “You don't have a plan at all, do you?”

Mortimer answered him by shoving Big Time into the canal. Yes, it was true – Mortimer didn't have an actual, solid plan to defeat an entire kingdom. He'd hoped that with the information in his books and spying by the Beagles, something would pop up. According to Mortimer's logic, the only reason his family hadn't beaten the Suns entirely was because they never had a chance to use Mortimer's brilliant brains. But for all of Mortimer's intimidating speeches and desperate need to seem like he was in charge, he'd come up with zero, zip, bupkis, nada. 

As people's heads turned at the sound of the splash, Mortimer let out a pained gasp, a hand on his chest. “Oh, no! This poor man has fallen into the canal! Not to worry, good sir, I'll get you out!” The explanation seemed to satisfy the onlookers, who then went about their day. He knelt down, grabbing Big Time by the collar as the beagle bobbed in the water. “Listen, you sorry excuse for a canine!” he hissed low, spitting through his big buck teeth. “I will find a way to defeat the Sun Kingdom! I will find their weakness! We must have something they don't!”

Big Time hacked up a mouthful of water. “What about that freezing trick I saw you do?”

“Don't you think if I could freeze all those barbarians at once, I would have already?” Mortimer snapped, dunking Big Time's head in the water and then pulling him back up. “By the time I got started, they'd already have skewered me six times! I can only freeze one person at a time! Now do you have any more questions, or should I write your history as 'Big Time bubbled to the bottom'?”

Big Time said nothing, so Mortimer yanked him out of the water, and slapped him hard on the back. “Thank goodness you're all right!” he once again announced. “You'd better go home, dry up, and keep your big mouth shut.” With his old smile back on, he stood up, brushed the wrinkles out of his clothes, and walked on. This was the power of history that he admired – what to one man was a threat, to everyone else was a good man helping another.

He continued heading towards the castle, his anger seething underneath his cheerful smile. He would find a way to make his mark in history, and he would be remembered far longer than anyone in his family. Mortimer would be immortal. He slowed his steps as he approached the castle, spotting Queen Lune and Princess Minerva doing their morning ritual up on the balcony. _My future wife and mother-in-law_ , he supposed, and his lip twitched. The former king had done nothing remarkable, dying in battle like another useless soldier. Would he too be a mundane king that faded into the background?

It never occurred to him that Minerva would object to the marriage or that anything would stand in the way of his future rule. After all, no better candidate for his hand would ever show up, and what woman wouldn't want such a smart, handsome, perfect man as a husband? It was why he was still single, since all the Moon women were too intimidated to date such an amazing specimen. This was another one of his “history translations”.

Mortimer decided to stay and watch the routine, ignoring a greeting from Pete who was standing at the castle doors. Pete followed Mortimer's gaze to the royal women, deciding to watch as well, though he was used to the spectacle.

Pete then said something he didn't realize would greatly help Mortimer's schemes, and in future “history translations” Mortimer would claim he said it instead.

“Huh,” Pete grunted, “I wonder what would happen if they didn't do that for one morning.”

In one second, Mortimer's false smile of indifference suddenly turned into a wide, eager grin of ecstatic delight. He'd been right all along. Patience was a virtue. “My good man, that is an _excellent_ question.”

~*~

A new year was coming for both kingdoms, and naturally both sides had different ways of celebrating them. Holidays were the latest topic of discussion between Mickey and Minnie in her marsh gardens, with rich details being exchanged between kisses. As always, Minnie hadn't spared anything when describing her people's traditions, but Mickey was being unusually tight-lipped about his own. Minnie had made sure to leave plenty of pauses between paragraphs so he could get a word in, but he'd stayed silent with a smile.

Eventually Minnie got so frustrated that she let out a childish whine. “Mickeeey...are you mad at me?”

Mickey had only intended to tease her, so he quickly straightened up. “What? No! Aw, Minnie, I'm just foolin' with you! I was tryin' to be funny!”

Perhaps in the beginning of the relationship Minnie would have automatically forgiven him, no questions asked, but her boldness towards others had increased. Mickey was no exception. “What was so funny about it?”

Mickey faltered. Explaining a joke tended to kill it. “Well. It. I suppose seein' you get all pouty was cute, and...hm. All right, no more jokes until I'm sure you're gunna laugh.” He cleared his throat, trying to start things over. “Look, I'm not tellin' you nothin', cause it's a surprise.”

Minnie raised her eyebrows. “A surprise? Why?”

Mickey slapped his hands on his knees. “Cause I want you to be there to see it for yourself! But this time, I can't guide you into the kingdom, since I'm a big part of the New Years Festival.”

“What!” Minnie clasped her hands to her chest in shock. “Mickey, I can't go into the kingdom without you!”

“Sure you can! You've been there plenty of times by now, you've got it all memorized! You just have to sneak in and watch the festival, that's all.”

Minnie knew Mickey wouldn't be dangling this idea in front of her if he didn't have full confidence in her, and in that way she was flattered. This clearly meant a lot to him, and Minnie chewed on her lower lip as she thought it over. “Are you sure? What if someone sees me, or tries to talk to me? They'd have to notice I'm not an old woman.”

“I got it all planned out.” Mickey jabbed a thumb to his heart, bursting with pride. “My pal Panchito knows what's going on with you and me. He'll guide you around and tell you what to know! And the way the festival is, trust me, no one will be paying attention to you. When the festival day comes, everyone is ready to see...well, I ain't gunna tell you.” He leaned in, smirking playfully. “No matter what you do, or how many kisses you give me. My lips are sealed. In fact!”

As Mickey reached towards Minnie's chest, she knew what was coming and held up her necklace. Making promises like this had become amusingly standard between them. She then showed her newfound confidence by interrupting his promise with a kiss to his cheek, and she giggled as his eyes boggled from surprise. No longer did she ask permission for kisses or for hand holding. “Are you sure you can't tell me anything?”

Funny enough, whenever Minnie showed her authority, Mickey's own cockiness shrunk. He didn't like the shy, gobsmacked side to himself, and thankfully only Minnie was able to bring it out of him. “N-No,” he stammered, before raising his head, trying to control things again. “No, I ain't gunna tell you a thing, Minnie. You'll just have to come to the kingdom and see for yourself.”

“Are you sure?” Minnie said again, leaning forward as Mickey leaned back. She fluttered her eyelashes. “Not a teeny, tiny, little, itty bitty thing?”

Mickey was quick to avert his eyes, because he knew she'd turn him into pudding if he kept looking at her. “No. Nope. Not a thing. Not a word. I am rock solid about this, Minnie.”

Minnie giggled louder this time. When she'd first seen signs of this from Mickey, she wondered if this was his true self underneath all the crowing and arrogance. But now she understood Mickey, and people in general, were not one aspect of their personality. People had many different sides, and there was no shame in discovering each and every one of them. The Moon people weren't all cold and quiet, nor were the Sun people all brash and loud. Maybe it meant deep down, there were no real differences between the kingdoms. These were ideas and thoughts she longed to share with her mother.

But for now she wanted Mickey's secrets and was happy to use herself as a weapon. She sat in his lap, with her arms around his neck, and gave him a good kiss. Mickey kissed back, his orange tail wiggling in the wet grass. When they pulled back, Mickey was the one pouting. “You're a dirty, rotten cheater.”

“Does that mean you'll tell me something about the New Year's Festival?”

“One thing,” he relented, holding a finger up. “But that's it. And no amount of kissin' is gunna make me say anything else. I mean it this time.”

Minnie doubted it, but allowed him to think he'd won. “Okay, what is it?”

“Everyone is coming to watch a show.”

“A show? What kind of show? Is it a play?”

Mickey turned his head away, unwilling to drop anymore hints. Minnie tsked. “That's not fair at all!” This time Mickey managed to avoid her flirtation by firing back with his own, kissing her before she could object again. Who started the kisses made all the difference in the world to him, but as usual they tended to melt and forget who started. There were no worries in the gardens, because these young people didn't care about anything but each other. All that mattered to Minnie was seeing Mickey in his show. All that mattered to Mickey was impressing Minnie in the show.

Anything else could burn.

~*~

The next morning, Mickey and Goofy were out and about in the kingdom, once again avoiding Horace's wrath. Mickey wanted to go to Panchito's bar to arrange the final details, and he'd dominated the conversation with his love of Minnie. Normally Goofy would just nod and agree with whatever was being said, but today he wasn't even giving that. To Mickey this meant Goofy was distracted, instead of the more obvious fact that Mickey hadn't allowed Goofy to give his own opinion about anything. 

The prince had yet to realize he hadn't had a genuine conversation with Goofy in ages. “Penny for your thoughts, Goof?”

The dog looked down at his master, eyebrows raised in confusion. “I don’t think they’re worth that much.”

After a roll of his eyes, Mickey continued. “Just seems like you’re a bit…I dunno…out there.” Mickey then remembered his life before it was consumed by Minnie – thought it was difficult to remember times before then – and that Goofy had actually gone into the kingdom on his free days instead of hanging out with the prince. Hadn't Mickey been curious about that once upon a time? There was a moment of shame before Mickey tried to put the blame back on Goofy. “Feelin’ okay?”

 

“Right as rain.” Yet even as Goofy said it, he suddenly seemed to counteract it, going still. Mickey followed Goofy’s gaze to Panchito’s bar, where even now hollers of delight and loud music were roaring out. The dog had suddenly gotten nervous, glancing at Mickey, then at the bar. He'd introduced his girl to his father and, accidentally, to his king. He wanted to plan before showing her to Mickey, but plans were not his specialty. 

Mickey watched him for a bit longer, as pieces in his mind slowly began to connect to one another. “Goofy, do you not wanna go into the bar?”

The bodyguard’s shoulders jerked upwards, as if he had been struck. “N-Nnnn, nah, nah, I, ah, aw, well, ya… weren’t ya sayin’ somethin’ about Minnie?” He shook with each stammer, fidgeting with the spear in his hands. The streets were busy as always, people going to and fro in tidal waves of business and playing, so having stay still was an oddity, making him stick out like a sore thumb. If that wasn’t enough, the outright refusal to go into the bar was also strangeness – Mickey and Goofy usually enjoyed going in to chat it up with Panchito, drinking and dancing until Horace found them and dragged them away. This current behavior, mingled with the past things Mickey had noted, formed an idea within the mouse that caused him to smirk widely across his muzzle.

“It’s a girl, isn’t it?” Mickey even pointed right at the bar with both hands, and enjoyed the extra stammers and stutters that came from the shaking stupor. While Mickey was right, it mostly coincidence – these days, girls were the answer to everything, in his head.

“Girl! A girl? Gosh, I, uh, naw! Naw, but, well, if…” Goofy wrung his hands on his weapon, not wanting to admit his reasons, but at the same time uncomfortable with lying to his friend and superior. The only way to solve both of these was a meek and nearly whispered, “Maybe.”

“Why didn’t ya say so, ya big goof!” Mickey elbowed his companion in the stomach, laughing with a great spirit. Why, to know his best friend had also found a sweetheart was giving him happiness unending. They were like brothers, these two, so he was eager to know all about the joy that this girl was giving the other. He'd forgotten the delight that came with knowing a friend was happy, instead of only focusing on Minnie's happiness. He'd relapse into Minnie obsession soon enough, but now he focused on Goofy. “Which one is she?”

“Aw, Mickey.” Now Goofy's went shoulders down, not sharing the same enthusiasm. “I dunno if we should be talkin’ about this, out here and all…” There was no direct shame in wooing a dancing girl if one was an ordinary citizen, though it came with shakes of head and whispers. However, Goofy was the prince’s bodyguard, and captain of the guards, a high and prestigious position. Someone of his noble birth couldn’t just pick up a dancing girl, it was deeply shameful. He deserved someone better. That was Mickey’s reasoning behind Goofy’s shyness, but the actual truth was just that – shyness.

Alas, any further argument was suddenly and abruptly derailed, as Goofy then straightened up, eyes stuck on the entrance to the bar. Mickey looked over just in time to hear a melodious voice call out “Oh, Gooooofy~!” along with the jingling of bells. One of the dancing girls was making her way out and, judging by the deep red that was dominating Goofy’s cheeks, it was the one that had taken a hold of his heart. She was indeed a beauty, a matching dog, though in Mickey’s biased eyes nowhere near as pretty as his beloved Moon Princess. As for Goofy’s mindset, everything about this woman was the dictionary definition of ‘pretty’, along with ‘heart-stopper’ and ‘homina’. Ever so casually, Mickey stepped behind Goofy, using the bodyguard’s height and Mickey’s lack thereof to hide.

Millie had slowly but surely convinced Goofy to pay for her things, and her latest outfit showed it. Draped in oranges and yellows, she was a light fire with each touch of her wrapped feet to the sandy pavement. Bells hung off her wrists, her hips, her ears and hair, even at the end of her poofy little tail, creating songs for every step. With this new look and old confidence, her slim figure caught the eye of many a passing man, who would wind up walking right into other men, causing small pile-ups here and there. She stopped right in front of him, playing with a thin, light cloth that was wrapped around her elbows, taking her time to pull it off. “I haven’t seen you in so long.” Even her voice was that suitable for a dancing girl – alluring, playful, the perfect mix of a childish little girl and the charms of an adult woman. “I thought you might be mad at me.” It was all a picture perfect act, and Millie was an actor on the stage of life.

“N-Naw, I, uh, I ain't, wasn’t, not mad at all!” His pants felt ten times heavier – Goofy didn't need Millie trying on her flirtations when his Highness was around! He tried to subtly pointed behind him. “Just been…real busy, and all, gotta watch out for Mickey and stuff.” For a moment, he confused the sound of Mickey’s snickering with the girl’s bells. “H-How ya been, Millie?”

Millie sighed over dramatically, rolling her head around and tugging on her cloth, trying to give off the look of a haggard old widow. “Oh, I’ve been terribly lonely without my dear Goofy. I know it’s your job to guard the prince, but he’s so mean, taking you away from me.”

Goofy looked over his shoulder for a millisecond, and then held up a hand in defense, trying to warn the woman without embarrassment. “Uh! H-He’s not mean at all, Millie! He’s a real swell fella! So, maybe - ”

“Oh but he is!” Now she was right up against him, almost in his arms. Mickey had to press his hands onto Goofy’s back to prevent the guard from nearly bending over backwards in shock, which was no easy task. It was obvious to everyone but the bodyguard that the girl was lamenting to him on purpose, the way she was fluttering her eyelashes and trailing her fingers up his arm. “I wish I could tell him to go easy on you, so you could spend more time with me.”

“Well, gee,” Mickey piped up, unable to resist anymore. “I had no idea I was such a slave driver.” He poked his head out from behind Goofy, offering a little wave.

Those who had been watching the spectacle were comfortable bursting out into loud howls of laughter. Millie recognized the prince instantly and the act she'd been putting on broke apart like sticks in a campfire. Her jaw hung open, cheeks flushed with humiliation. Mickey walked around, “hmm”ing out loud in a fake fashion. “So my bodyguard's got a gal. And it's one of the dancing gals! I'm not sure if she's right for my best pal, especially after all those nasty remarks.”

Goofy watched his friend silently, unable to tell if this was a joke or not. Millie believed it, and for once, the real her shone through due to sheer panic. “No! I mean, I was just – you know, it was only – I can explain! I just...need a minute!” She could feel her face reddening more and more by the second, and it only served to amuse Mickey further.

“Minute's up.” Mickey snapped his fingers. “If you're going to be with him, you need to pass my test. Luckily, my test only has two questions. Question one :” He held up one finger. “Miss 'Millie', is it? Do you like Goofy?”

“Of course, sire, I adore him, sire, he's wonderful, sire-”

Mickey ignored her continuous rambling and pointed to Goofy. “Question two : Goofy, do you like Millie here?”

Goofy nodded once. “Sure do. I got a plan in mind for her and everything.”

Millie stared at Goofy with great confusion, as she had no idea what in the world that was supposed to mean, but Mickey accepted this with a loud clap. “That's good enough for me! You have my permission to court.”

The bodyguard tilted his head. “Were we not courtin' before?”

“So for today,” Mickey went on, “I order you to take this girl out and treat her nice. I'll talk with Panchito myself! You two behave now!” With a good laugh and his hands on his hips, he headed to the bar by himself. He was also curious about what Goofy's comment meant, but he had to plan Minnie's trip, and she easily became first and foremost in his mind once more.

Goofy scratched his noggin and then shrugged. “All right, Millie, why don't we go get a bite to eat?”

Millie sighed, but then came to his side, looping her arm around his. “I'm starting to feel like I don't know anything at all.”

“Aw, that's okay, I feel like that all the time,” he chirped, beginning to walk with her. “Don't you worry none, you'll get used to Mickey eventually. Just like you and I got used to each other.” He hummed a little as they walked away from the bar, having a good feeling that Horace wouldn't catch up to them so easily today. This was helped by Mickey's plan when they first left the castle.

As Horace ran out of the castle to start the usual chase, he found the imprints of Mickey's sandals in the sandy walkways, leading to the Forbidden Forest. Mickey had indeed run that way first, but then “donated” his sandals to the first shoe-less person he came across. Hours later, Horace would be both impressed and infuriated by the cleverness of his young prince, once he figured out the trick. As it was, he had kept the outfit he bought in the Moon Kingdom just in case of such an emergency.

Much like the first time he stood outside of the Moon Kingdom's entrance, Horace hesitated, filled with fear and worry. He didn't believe in luck, so he wasn't sure what had saved his hide the last time he'd done this. As he went down memory lane, trying to find out what he'd done right and wrong, images of Clarabelle came back in full swing. She'd listened to him when others had laughed, had sympathized when others had mocked, she was sweet and pretty, and no matter how hard he had tried to get her out of his head, it was as if she comfortably moved into his mind and locked the door. It was ridiculous that a man of his intellect couldn't figure out how to get past her.

But Horace Horsecollar worked for the Sun King and for the Sun Kingdom! He had a noble duty to protect Prince Michael and make him into a great leader! So there was no time to think of girls and having a social life! No matter how pretty and sweet they were, and – and he just realized that the moment he'd started thinking of her, his feet had already started walking. He was now smack dab in the middle of the Moon Kingdom, without a plan.

“I'm losing my mind,” Horace said to no one at all. After rubbing his temples, he walked along, remembering that Mickey had chosen to jump from the rooftops for whatever game he had in mind that day. Horace cupped his chin in thought, eyeing the rooftops. Mickey enjoyed the element of surprise, so maybe he wasn't on the roofs. Then again, it would be surprising for Mickey to redo the same idea because of how unexpected it was. Mickey's bright brain was capable of almost anything, and thus left room for an infinite amount of possibilities. Yet to Horace, Mickey having stayed in the Sun Kingdom wasn't one of them.

“I suppose it wouldn't hurt to look,” Horace said to himself, now a little more aware that most Moon people weren't paying attention to a stranger in the streets. As long as he didn't call attention to himself, he was safe. To a Sun Person, yelling at another and running across the rooftop was a very common action, so certainly that wouldn't get anyone's attention here. He began walking backwards, trying to ready himself for a running start.

Of all the things Horace remembered, he'd forgotten the running canals that flowed throughout the kingdom. His left foot was suddenly without flooring, and gravity began to tug Horace toward the water. In milliseconds, Horace was flooded with horrid fear, and when someone grabbed onto his arm, he latched onto them as if his very life had depended on it. Nearly crouching, he glanced back at the watery graveyard he'd nearly entered, trembling.

“What's the matter with you?” his would-be rescuer asked.

“I can't swim!” No one in the Sun Kingdom could. That's when Horace recognized the voice of his savior, and he was quick to stand on his feet so he could look Clarabelle Cow in the eyes.

Clarabelle was blinking rapidly, trying to understand what had been said. Everyone in the Moon Kingdom could swim, even toddlers. But instead of pointing out this oddity, she smiled cheerfully, patting his hand that still forcefully held her. “Now you owe me again, don't you? Guess what that means!”

Horace leaned away, startled. “What? Again? After last time?”

“It wasn't the nicest way you could have ended our date,” Clarabelle admitted with a small shrug of her shoulders. “But I think the rest of it went really well! Maybe this time you won't spot your naughty little student!” She tugged him along, happily holding onto his arm. “And here I thought Morgana was just trying to get some extra coins out of me. But she was right, destiny was going to make us bump into each other again!”

Horace wondered if there was any point resisting her. “If I do see my student, I really will have to leave again. It's a miracle he didn't get himself killed last time,” he grumbled. “I try not to believe in luck, but it really seems like he gets it wherever he goes.”

“Oooh, don't you just hate people like that?” Clarabelle sighed, tossing her head one way. “People who always get their way without even trying? I mean, it's not their fault, but you can't help being so mad at them! How come they get away with it?”

“Yes, exactly!” Horace pumped his fists, getting into the odd agreement. “I think some bad luck would make him into a better man! And yet his father never takes my complaints about his boy seriously. No one does! Why hire me, if my opinion never matters?”

“Oooh, yes, my boss is the same way! He asks me questions and never likes my answers. I'm not a mind reader!”

“Some days I have the urge to just turn my back on them all and see how well they'd do without me.”

“Me too! See how the great Sir Mortimer Rodawn likes mopping his own floors! Maybe if he quit practicing that freezing trick of his, he could help around the house.”

Horace turned to her, inquisitive. “Freezing trick?”

Clarabelle looked around, and then leaned in, lowering her voice. “I'm not really supposed to talk about it,” yet her tone sounded as if she couldn't care less if word spread, as long no one named her as the culprit. “But my boss can freeze anything liquid. Just a wave of his hand, and it's one big solid chunk.” She then clicked her tongue to her cheek. “He acts like it'll change the world, but I can't see any use of it.”

The tutor felt his chest tighten. It'd been so nice to have a like-mind with someone that he'd almost forgotten who the mind belonged to. She was a Moon woman and all Moons were dangerous. They had to be. “But if he could do it, maybe someone else could. Maybe everyone could.”

“I wouldn't want to do it! It's a waste of time.”

“But what if you were in danger? What if the Sun Kingdom attacked?”

The two of them stopped walking and looked at each other right in the eyes. Horace thought he'd given himself away, and waited for the onslaught of accusations. Indeed, Clarabelle had narrowed her eyes and appeared very miffed. “Is this really how it's going to be for the rest of our lives?”

Horace wasn't sure what she wanted to hear and found himself borrowing one of Goofy's classics. “Huh?”

“Is everyone going to walk on eggshells, expecting the Sun Kingdom to barge on in here?” Clarabelle tossed a flippant hand. “For goodness sake, it's been years since the war ended. If they were going to attack, wouldn't they have done it already? Can't you go one single day without thinking of the Sun Kingdom?”

“Technically, no.”

Clarabelle made a loud “hmph” and resumed dragging Horace forward. “I don't care about those stupid Suns, and I don't want to hear about them anymore. They'll stay on their side, we'll stay on our side, and maybe someday we'll forget there even is another side. Today is just about you and me.”

The overwhelming irony was so ridiculous that Horace smiled without meaning to. “One more thing, and I promise I won't speak another word about the Suns.”

“Fine, but just one.”

“Let's say...” Horace quickly looked up at the rooftops, hoping Mickey's dramatic sense of timing wasn't going to kick in. “That a Sun entered your – ah, our, kingdom. Wouldn't that start up the war?”

“Of course not!” Clarabelle snorted loudly, her nostrils flaring. “Have you ever heard of one person being the cause of an entire war? Maybe they just got lost.” She thought this terribly witty, and laughed at her own joke. Horace chuckled quietly and as they rounded the corner, he began to stop looking for signs of Mickey. He stopped thinking about a lot of things, and took Clarabelle's advice. He didn't think of the Sun Kingdom at all, and when their date ended, it wasn't with Horace screaming bloody murder to his superior. It was a simple goodbye, with a kiss to the cheek, and two people simply walking home.

Until Horace figured out Mickey's trick, the only thing he was upset about was that he couldn't brag about having gone on a successful date to anyone.

~*~

One of the few things that made Clara Cluck happy was baking. Many people in the Sun Kingdom were content to slap basic ingredients in a bowl and call it lunch. But Clara enjoyed mixing, stirring, mashing, and eyeing the final result of all her effort. It was fun to experiment with spices and flavors, and even when something came out bad, she was still happy because she had learned something new.

However, Clara had never told anyone about this hobby. She was a large woman, and people often assumed that when you were that size, it was because you ate and ate and ate. Truthfully, Clara was born into this shape and believed the only thing wrong with it was how people treated her over it. She'd come from large parents, and she'd gained muscles underneath her feathers from carrying heavy wine barrels to Panchito's bar. She wanted to be proud of her body, but being around girls who were thin as string tended to weigh down on her. Clara feared if she told them about her baking prowess, they'd ask if she ate all of her projects and was that why she was so heavy.

At the same time, it felt selfish to keep her accomplishments to herself, as she often made plenty of food. Earlier in the year, Clara had begun sneaking the baked goods into the bar while the girls danced and the men drooled. They were so caught in the dancing they never paid her any attention, nor did they question when food appeared. The paying patrons assumed it was another excellent service of the bar and it went into their stomachs without complaint or question.

Today as Clara headed for the bar, having missed Mickey's melodrama by mere minutes, she had a mission in mind. With a wicker basket tucked under one arm, she heard the music blasting and it covered her like a blanket of noise. No doubt the girls were in full swing, and everything else would be ignored. This was exactly what she wanted, because she'd worked hard on a very special treat for a very special rooster.

_I'll confront him today, Clara told herself, _and we will talk about the Prince._ She may have been an ordinary citizen, but this was still her home and she had every right to want it protected. If the Prince really was in love with the Princess of the Moon Kingdom, it had potential to put everyone in danger. Or, and she knew she had to be reasonable about this, maybe the Prince had gotten over his crush and nothing had happened. Either way, Clara felt she had a right to know._

_And if Panchito liked the food so much that he began to like Clara more than the dancing girls, well, that'd just be a nifty bonus, wouldn't it? Clara hastily made a prayer to the Phoenix to reassure him, and herself, that she had no ulterior motives. She shook her head and made her way inside._

_As usual, the party was wild and endless, as girls sang about the glory of the Sun and men slammed their eager fists on the shaky tables. Clara scanned the area, and since Panchito wasn't strumming his guitar or dipping the girls low, that must have meant he was down in the wine cellar, probably getting himself his fifth drink of the day. It worked out well, since the girls and the customers never went down there, and it was quiet enough to have a decent conversation._

_Clara headed towards the wine cellar, popping out the closed door that was in the floor. The ladder made tiny creaking sounds as she began to descend, and she made sure to close the door on the way down. _So far, so good,_ she told herself. She smiled as she headed down, pleased that she'd finally gotten the strength for this confrontation, and that nothing stood in her way._

_“So, that's the plan, Panchito!”_

_Nothing except the actual topic of said conversation who was apparently already in the cellar. Clara slowly looked down in shock, seeing the barefoot Prince Mickey explaining his future plans to Panchito, who was sipping from a worn out wooden mug. Neither was aware of their intruder and Mickey was rocking on his feet, already fitting to burst with anticipation. Panchito was idly waving a hand, measuring out moments of time. “The Moon princess will have to be right on time, you know. As the Master of Ceremony, I can't afford to be late!”_

_Mickey chuckled. “Oh, sure, we can't have the New Year's Festival without you! Last year, you took so long to announce us that the festival fire nearly died!”_

_Panchito grinned back, trying to get into the spirits of things while continuously drinking spirits. “But isn't this supposed to make your little lady friend go all a flutter? Surely you want me to boast all about you and give you the best introduction ever!”_

_The prince happily slapped his friend on the back. “Sorry, pal, but nothing will ever beat how you introduced me to the Moon Kingdom! That was one for the ages! All I need you to do is make sure Minnie gets there without any trouble. Once she's in the crowd, she'll be fine.”_

_“Ah, but if she's as pretty as you say, how do you know I won't take her for myself?”_

_“First, because Minnie loves me and only me, and second, I'd put you in the stocks for a million years after making you clean up the stables for a billion years.”_

_“Oh boy! Watch out for Prince Mickey! You look at his girl wrong and he'll never let you forget it!”_

_“Darn right! She's my gal, and at the New Year's Festival, she's gunna fall in love with me all over again!”_

_The two were more than happy to share boastful laughter and eager commentary for who knows how long, when an interruption in the form of a wicker basket was thrown down between them. Mickey jumped and Panchito dropped his mug, causing the contents to splash on the floor._

_Clara was on the floor, and she was even surprised at herself for having stayed instead of fleeing. But her anger was lit and her peaceful hands were now clenched. “I can't believe you two!” she shouted before they could dare get a word in otherwise. “Having a crush on someone from the Moon Kingdom is one thing...but you're actually having an affair with the Princess? Have you lost your mind? And you want to bring her here, on our most sacred of days! Panchito, even you can't possibly be drunk enough to agree with this!”_

_Panchito was quiet because he wasn't sure if this was really happening or if he'd drunk so much he'd started hallucinating. Mickey was quiet because he'd never actually planned on what to do if his secrets go out. Clara stormed up to them, taller than both of them, and they felt as if they were shrinking under her gaze. “If this gets out, people could actually get hurt!”_

_Panchito lifted his head. “If?”_

_The prince exhaled all the breath he'd been holding. “You're not gunna tell?”_

_“Who would believe me? I hardly believe it! I wouldn't have believed it if it didn't come from your own mouth!” Clara crossed her arms, her anger and eyes shifting back and forth between Panchito and Mickey. “If you really do bring her here, and someone finds out who she is, you'll send the people into a panic! And you could put the girl's life in danger too!”_

_Mickey's pride and courage returned at the thought of his lover being in trouble, and he stuck out his chest, hoping his authority as a royal would make Clara back down. “It's a lot of 'if's, and I'm planning for them all! I've - ” he almost admitted that he'd brought Minnie into the kingdom dozens of times, and wisely decided this wasn't information Clara would take well. “I've...I've thought a lot about this, and it'll all work out. Besides, one day I'll marry her, so we'll be King and Queen of both kingdoms.”_

_“How?” Clara asked._

_Panchito strolled over, trying to smooth things out with charm. “You don't know how to marry, my beautiful Clara? I would be more than happy to show you.” When he flirted with the dancing girls, he tended to get giggles and praises. Clara usually blushed a deep hue with a cute smile, unable to find words._

_That wasn't the case this time. Now she wouldn't even look at Panchito, and somehow being ignored by her was worse than anything she could say. As Panchito reeled from the silent stab, Clara asked again. “How would you be ruler of both kingdoms? Is she moving here or are you moving there?”_

_Mickey faltered, and his eyes darted about on the floor as if the answers would magically be written there. “Um. I-I don't know. But-”_

_“What if your father disapproves? Or the Queen of the Moon Kingdom? What if our people think she's been a spy?”_

_“They-they're not-they wouldn't-”_

_“What about the families of soldiers who died in the war? What do you think they'd say, knowing a Moon was in the kingdom that everyone tried so hard to protect? Just because you _think_ you love her doesn't mean you should treat our people as toys to show off, or our kingdom as a playground!”_

_Mickey immediately straightened out, lit aflame with indignation. While all of this had been deeply troubling, the very idea that he was not wholly devoted to his sweet Minnie was not something he'd let fly. He took a stomp forward, trying to go eye-level with the bigger bird. “I _think_ I love her?!” Were Clara not a lady, Mickey might have grabbed her viciously, and even so, it was difficult not to. “You don't know anything about her or me! She's good, and kind, and wonderful! She's going to make a perfect Queen, and I'll be with her forever! I love her with all my heart! She means the world to me!”_

_“Does she mean more to you than your own people?”_

_Silence._

_Mickey opened his mouth and no words came. Panchito hung his head shamefully and angry tears threatened Clara's eyes. “If the war does start, it will be on your head.” She then finally turned to see Panchito once more, but not in the way he wanted. “And if you really go through with this, if you actually help him, I...I never want you to speak to me again! You can forget all about me and flirt with your girls!” Although she immediately regretted what she said to both of them, she couldn't find the will to take any of it back. Instead she turned back to the ladder, wanting to get out of there and away from them as soon as possible._

_“Clara!” Panchito tried to run after her, but he stayed down as she climbed up, though he warily reached out toward her, voice draining as she took every step higher. “Clara, come on! Clara! I can't talk to the girls like I talk to you! Clara, please! Clara, you're different! Clara! Clara! _Clara_...”_

_She didn't reply. No one noticed her as she left, just as no one had noticed her when she entered, and she wished no one would ever notice her again so she could vanish into nothingness._

_The New Year's Festival was one week away. It was one week for Mickey to stop feeling as if his heart had been yanked out of his throat. But Clara was wrong, he would eventually decide. She didn't understand the love between Mickey and Minnie. How could love ever put someone in danger?_


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to my awesome editors, Drucilla and BlueShifted.
> 
> This chapter means a lot to me, as (aside from when Mickey and Minnie first met) this is the one big scene that's always been in my head since I first imagined this story. And it's all because of a Tokyo DisneySea Show! Called the Bonfire Dance, when I first heard this performance years ago, I could suddenly and vividly picture this entire chapter moment by moment. As a result, I included the lyrics (as best as I could decipher them anyhow) so you could also experience it the same way I did. This song also gave me so many ideas about the story itself, the ways of the Sun Kingdom, and in short much of As Dawn Broke wouldn't exist without this show.
> 
> Since I can't quite use links here, feel free to go to youtube and put in 'Tokyo Disney Sea Show Bon Fire Dance' and it's sure to pop up!
> 
> Storywise, this is going to be a big turning point for several characters. (And for those of you who accurately point out I've been favoring Panchito over Jose, I assure you that we haven't seen the last of our green-feathered guy!) Stay tuned!

The day of the New Year's festival had arrived, and almost everyone in the Sun Kingdom was bursting with excitement. Minnie had barely gotten any sleep the night before, as she kept imagining whatever “play” Mickey was going to show her. When she told Daisy of her future adventure, it was one of the few times her handmaiden had put her webbed foot down – there was no way she was going alone for such a big event. Minnie had easily relented, on some level wanting to show off her amazing lover to her best friend.

Neither of them were particularly worried when Pete gave chase, as he'd been absolutely terrible at catching Minnie before. They could have even sworn that he stopped chasing them once they were in the forest – and they were right. Pete knew that bizarre Sun woman would surely attack him again, so he waited in the forest, wanting to get it over with. Obviously she'd pop out any moment now.

As Minnie could best remember from Mickey's explanation, today the Sun people celebrated the new year. The Moon people's new year had started several weeks earlier, but Mickey had insisted that this was more about parties and fun than dates and times.

He had deliberately kept several facts out of his explanation in order to capture Minnie's curiosity, and he had definitely succeeded. All Minnie knew was that she was to meet up with a bird called Panchito, and the rest would be in fate's hands. Minnie still kept her brown robe from her earlier outings, while Daisy had the idea of splattering her dress with dirt and mud to hide the dark blues and purples. She had hoped with this look, they merely looked like poor, ill girls out for some fresh air.

The moment the duo entered the Sun Kingdom, music and cheer swept over them. They stood at the entrance, dumbfounded at the grown adults playing in the streets, banging tambourines and clanging odd-looking wooden instruments together. Children were eagerly running away from their parents, and everyone seemed to be heading in the same direction, towards one far off point. As they began walking inside, Daisy whispered to her friend, eyes darting about. “Look at this place...how is this Panchito guy supposed to find us? There are crowds everywhere!”

Minnie couldn't help but agree. Though she had snuck into the Sun Kingdom many times to meet with Mickey, she had never seen so many people out in the streets at the same time. Even the elderly appeared to be out and about, waving old blankets up and down and hooting like wild animals. People of all ages rushed past the girls, not noticing or caring about them. Minnie swallowed hard, but kept her head up high. “Mickey wouldn't have wanted me to come if he didn't think I could handle it.”

“That's another thing.” Daisy tapped a finger to her cheek. “Why does Mickey want you here for this? It doesn't seem...terribly romantic.”

“He has his reasons,” Minnie replied, simple as that.

Although Daisy supported this forbidden relationship, she couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow. “I swear, he could raze the entire Forbidden Forest and you'd say he has his reasons.”

Minnie wasn't quite sure how to argue against that, but she didn't have to. An amused male voice spoke up behind them. “Are you two _señoritas_ perhaps looking for someone?”

The girls froze in place – how had they gotten noticed? They both turned to look at who had caught them – the cocky rooster smiled with great delight, his feathers redder than blood and his eyes wider than saucers. Like most men in the kingdom, he wore nothing to cover his chest – which Daisy greatly appreciated – and instead merely wore baggy yellow pants, which drooped this way and that. He had a wooden guitar held by a flimsy leather strap on his shoulder, and for a moment, Minnie thought it was bigger than he was. His eyes were also harshly bloodshot, though the girls would never guess it was due to days without wine.

“We-we weren't...doing anything...” Minnie squeaked, panic still filling her senses. What the exact punishment for trespassing was had never been clarified, but it couldn't be anything good. Her stomach tied up in knots and she held onto Daisy's hand painfully.

Daisy, on the other hand, took this all with relative calm. She looked the rooster up and down, and took a rather good guess. “You wouldn't happen to be Panchito, would you?”

The rooster laughed so hard and so merrily he nearly toppled over backwards. “These girls are as clever as they are beautiful! This is a glorious day indeed!” He clapped his hands together twice, and then performed a sweeping bow. “Indeed, it is I... Panchito Romero Miguel Junipero Francisco Quintero Gonzalez!”

Daisy glanced at Minnie. “He's making this up.”

The princess of the Moon kingdom was overjoyed. “Oh, Sir Panchito! So it is you! You have my utmost gratitude for helping us today.” She grabbed the edges of her robe to curtsy, but Daisy grabbed her arm – those in the Sun kingdom didn't curtsy. Who knew what offense a Sun citizen would take to that gesture?

Yet Panchito continued to smile, little chuckles vibrating in his throat. “I admit, I wasn't expecting another pretty face, but it seems the royals are full of surprises! We can handle one more secret! Well, you two are the only ones not celebrating...let's change that!” He suddenly grabbed the girls by their wrists – earning startled yelps from them both – and jogged up ahead, jumping up and down every so often, trying to invite the girls to share the same spirit. “Good Prince Mickey told me all about this little spicy affair boiling between the two of you!”

“Is spicy a good thing?” Minnie asked, struggling to keep up with Panchito's bobbing and weaving.

Panchito continued on as if he hadn't been interrupted. “This will be such a treat for you both! Today, we have the New Year's Festival! A glorious battle between the old year and the new year!”

“A battle?” Daisy repeated, pretending to dance in order to keep eyes off of them. “You mean, we're watching a fight?” She instantly became displeased – Minnie was far too sensitive to watch sports with bloodlust.

“Hardly, hardly!” Panchito clicked his heels. “The battle is symbolic! You could think of it as a dance! The King takes on the role of the Old Year and the Prince takes on the role of the New Year! Of course, the prince is supposed to win so we can welcome the near year. It is one of our most beloved traditions, since we can't always have it! We can't have baby princes fighting their fathers! So whenever we can have this festival, we treat it as if we don't know when the next will be!”

It made some amount of sense, at least to Minnie. “I've never seen the Sun King before,” she commented out loud. Mickey had often made silly descriptions of his father, but she was eager to see the real thing. This was the man who made Mickey into what he was, so surely he must be an amazing figure. The idea of a dancing fight was also creating excitement in her steps – the Moon kingdom favored ballet, which often told stories through slow, delicate motions. How would the Sun kingdom interpret the change from one year to another?

“Here we are!” Panchito skidded to a halt. They were in the kingdom's very center, where all of the people had gathered. Minnie and Daisy's jaws dropped to see the massive set-up the festival had taken. A gigantic straw and wood doll stood with the clay buildings, tied together by rope and colorful banners. On each side of the doll, drummers and dancers were getting ready to launch into musical madness. A small stage was in front of the doll, and several dancing girls – some of who Minnie recognized from the birthday celebration so long ago – were stretching in preparation.

“As you know,” Panchito started up again, releasing his hold on the girls. “Moons have sway over water, whereas we can control fire.” He pointed to the doll's belly, where a golden saucer held a dimly lit flame. “The King and the Prince must stay coordinated in order to keep the fire contained. It is like a promise to keep the kingdom safe.” Satisfied, he clapped his hands once more. “Now, it's time to get this party started! They're only missing one person.”

“Who is that?” Minnie asked, her face already beginning to sweat from the intense heat all around them.

“The master of ceremonies!” With that shouted, Panchito fled through the crowd, harping out his name once more. “Panchito Romero Miguel Junipero Francisco Quintero Gonzalez!”

Daisy grabbed Minnie by her hand and quickly pulled her to the front of the crowd, as the people of the Sun saw Panchito climb on stage. They began to cheer and whistle, understanding that the festivities were truly about to begin. The drummers began to pound and the dancing girls stood up straight, waving prettily to swooning men. Panchito was in good spirits, as if the heartbreak from days ago never occurred. As his eyes swept across the crowd, it was impossible to guess he was looking for a certain lady.

Off in the dark shadows, Goofy watched these antics and smiled. As Mickey's bodyguard, his duty during the festival was to make sure no one was harmed, but also to remain hidden as to not make people think there was something to worry about. He didn't mind this. As long as he could keep his best friend safe, there was little more he could ask for.

Of course there _were_ more things he could ask for, but he could not afford to be distracted today. He reminded himself of this as his favorite dancer took her place on stage.

“ _¡Bienvenidos todos!_ ” Panchito hollered over the crowd, moving his guitar so it sat in his arms. “It is I...”

“Panchito Romero Miguel Junipero Francisco Quintero Gonzalez!” the crowd chanted in response, laughing heartily once they got every name out. Daisy still swore he was making this up, but Minnie was caught up in the audience's thrill, giggling with all the air in her lungs.

“Very good, very good!” The rooster grinned, soaking up all the attention. “We all know what today is! The New Year's Festival! It is time to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new one! Are you all going to have a good time?!”

The crowd all responded enthusiastically, jumping and clapping giddily. Yet Panchito sighed, feigning disappointment. “Oh, is that all? I thought you would all be more excited than that...let me try this again. Are you all going to have a good time?”

The response was louder and wilder than before, the ground shaking with their repeated stomps. Even Minnie had started to cheer and wave her hands, startling Daisy, who had known the princess to be a quiet and shy person. Panchito appeared to be appeased, shaking his hips and strumming his guitar. Minnie thought she saw him wink at her. “Now that is better.” He then began to strum wildly, and the drummers matched his strokes. “Here comes the Old Year!”

Up on the rooftops, four burly men were carrying a bed-sized tall box, which was covered in orange curtains. They walked onto the doll's left arm, and slowly let down the oddly shaped carriage.

“The man who carried us through thick and thin, who leads our people in peace and prosperity!” Panchito kept on announcing, bouncing from one heel to the other, back and forth. “We are proud to live under his reign and prouder still to have him before us! Give it up, ladies and gentlemen! Our lord, our leader, our old year...Kiiiiiing Solariiiiiis!”

The man inside the box pushed the curtains aside and stepped out into the sunlight. Whatever Minnie had been expecting, it wasn't an incredibly tall man wearing immaculate armor from head to toe. It looked so heavy that she speculated it was never intended to see a real fight. Much like this ceremony, it was all symbolism and looks. She couldn't make out his face behind the thick helmet, although hints of a graying beard stuck out. For someone who, as Mickey said, constantly complained about his old age and failing health, he stood high and mighty with no shivers to his spine. He slowly turned toward the crowd, and bowed once, a steady gesture.

Minnie found herself disappointed that this was all she could see of Mickey's father, but as she saw the elders in the crowd returning the bow, she did the same and Daisy followed. The aging king was revered and adored. _It's something_ , she supposed, _better than learning nothing at all._

As the crowd called for their king, one of the dancers – Peg – tugged on another dancer's sleeve – Millie. “No one's going to look at us, I'd bet all my savings on it.,” she whispered quickly. “Now's your chance to really snag Goofy. Lay on the charm here and I bet you'll have a wedding before the festival's over!”

Millie smirked – yes, when it was put that way, opportunity had presented itself. “I'll wait until the fight's started. Don't you worry, Peg. I already have him wrapped around my finger. And soon mine will have a ring on it.”

The women quietly tittered, musing about the riches that marrying someone like Goofy would entail. As Peg had said, very few people were watching their scheming, as Panchito had started to strum all over again. Minnie caught a changing glint in his eye. “And representing the new year...The boy who has our hearts, our minds, and sometimes our coins! Fabulous he, amazing is he, the man who can light a fire with just his eyes!” His speech gained speed, getting the crowd pumped for the second entrance. It was obvious he was putting forth much more enthusiasm and flair this time around.

As Panchito rambled on, another pair of men were taking another wheel-less carriage onto the doll's right arm. “So strong, so wise, so clever and kind! He is truly the child of the Phoenix! A blessing in every single definition of the word!” Soon he was speaking so rapidly that it became difficult to understand what he was saying. “ _Así fantástico, magnífica, enorme, estupendo, así que es muy muy muy perfecto!_ ”

Up and behind the orange curtains, the prince of the Sun kingdom was shaking with anticipation. He knew Minnie was down there, he could feel it in his heart. Today wasn't about the new year or promises to his people or any such silly thing – today was about impressing Minnie. That was all that mattered. Clara was wrong – their love was perfect and pure, and he'd show it off here today. 

“I give you our New Year!” Panchito yelled at the top of his lungs. “Priiiiiince Miiiiiickey!”

Mickey shot out of the carriage and landed on his feet – instead of being trapped by armor, his face, chest and arms were decorated in elaborate body paint, giving off the appearance of a demon wrestled through time. Blue and white streaks highlighted his eyes, and trails of red and yellow cloth hung off his neck and wrists. He'd already taken out his weapons – a pair of scarlet bo-staffs, the ends already lit with heavy flames. He was slicked with sweat, and he leered at the crowd, sharp fangs glistening in the sunlight as he grinned at the public. It was if he was a wild creature that crawled up from the underworld to hunt after mere mortals.

Minnie had lost the ability to blink and breathe immediately. The ability to stand was lost seconds after, and Daisy had to support her with both hands. Mickey was always a handsome figure, but this was – this was – Minnie lacked the vocabulary to properly describe it. Mickey would have settled for a simple “homina homina homina”. It was not ladylike to ogle and drool at men, but it was all Minnie was capable of. The elaborate make-up, combined with his fierce expression, was enough to turn her into swooning wreck. In that instant, the trip had been worth it.

The other women in the crowd, minus the rather impressed Daisy, were not so quiet in their appreciation. They screeched with love and adoration, pleading with the prince to take them on as a bride, or just a mistress. Ever since Mickey became old enough to take on a bride, all the eligible women of the Sun Kingdom prayed he would choose one of them. None of them had any idea the girl who had been a hair's width close to fainting was the one he'd already chosen. Even Daisy had to admit he knew how to throw a look together.

Mickey was too far up to see Minnie's look, but he had a fairly good guess. She was often flustered at the mere touch of skin, so this was probably making her heart go bananas. Pleased, he strutted up to his father. King Solaris was not so moved. “You are not wearing the new year's outfit,” he stated the obvious, displeasure in his voice.

“It's a new year, why not try a new look?” Mickey wiggled his eyebrows.

Solaris rolled his eyes, but began to pull out his weapon – a hard, wide sword that was inflamed as it left its scabbard. “Just remember the routine. And keep the flame contained.”

“Yeah yeah, sure.” Mickey wasn't listening. He knew the routine by heart, he'd done this ceremony several times. He could spend less time thinking about the tradition and more time about how to make Minnie's heart explode.

Panchito cocked his shoulders. “Everybody, now! _SO-RE-SO-RE-SO-RE!_ ”

The audience clapped in time, repeating his words. “ _SO-RE-SO-RE-SO-RE!_ ”

The dancing girls sparked to life, moving in ways like a hot fire would above thousands of candles. The King and Prince bowed to each other, and then instantly clashed their weapons together – their fight had started! Panchito began to sing, with the dancing girls as choir, and soon the audience, even Minnie and Daisy, started to sing along, clapping with the beat.

_Summer night,  
The time is right,  
There's magic in the air!  
The beat is fresh  
The mood is clear  
We sing and dance without a care!  
Feel the passion, and excitement,  
The fever will catch you,  
With the rhyme that fills up your soul...  
WE ARE DANCING!  
Bonfire, adore it! SO-RE-SO-RE-SO-RE!  
Let the fire burn bright, tonight we are dancing!  
SO-RE-SO-RE-SO-RE!  
It really gets hot!  
When we light the bonfire!_

The King moved with precise timing and measure, while the Prince was quick and daring, parrying each blow and advancing with each step. As they held their fake battle, the fire within the doll rose and lowered, able to sense the motions from those above. Everything was going as it had for previous festivals, so Millie was easily able to slip away without anyone noticing. Spotting Goofy was easy enough, if you were actually looking for him. His eyes remained on the young prince – until a bell-like voice called his name. “Goofy!”

At once Goofy jerked, almost dropping the spear he was gripping onto. He blinked rapidly for a moment before understanding who was talking to him. “Oh! Hiya, Millie.” He glanced between her and the prince, knowing one was more important than the other, but it would be rude to ignore her effort. 

Millie giggled tenderly, sidling right up to him. “I saw you looking sooo bored, so I thought I'd give you a little company.”

Goofy's tongue felt heavy in his mouth. He didn't want to choose between them. “Well, ah, uh, gee, I'm, uh, supposed to keep a'watch on the prince, Mickey, y'know.” He paused for a moment. “Ain't supposed to do much else than that today.”

“Don't be silly.” Millie waved a hand about, causing the tiny bells on her sleeve to jingle. “Nothing ever goes wrong at the New Year's Festival. I think even the king would forgive you for enjoying yourself.”

“Um,” Goofy said yet again, beginning to hunch over. “I dunno. Are you sure it's okay?”

“Don't you trust me, Goofy?” Millie chirped, lightly poking his nose. Goofy seemed to melt under the millisecond of touch, and now his eyes were solely on Millie. This was the first part of the coming disaster.

_Summer night,  
The time is right,  
There's magic in the air!  
The beat is fresh  
The mood is clear  
We sing and dance without a care!  
Feel the passion, and excitement,  
The fever will catch you,  
With the rhyme that fills up your soul...  
WE ARE DANCING!  
Bonfire, adore it! SO-RE-SO-RE-SO-RE!  
Let the fire burn bright, tonight we are dancing!  
SO-RE-SO-RE-SO-RE!  
It really gets hot!  
When we light the bonfire!_

Mickey had begun to exaggerate his movements, hopping on and off his father's shoulders and then cartwheeling to and fro. He had even started to juggle his two staffs while dancing backwards. To this, King Solaris hissed, “Michael!” The ever-so-rare full name of the prince, often said either in high respect or high anger – this was the latter. “What do you think you're doing?! You're going to cause the flames to run rampant!”

Mickey laughed in response and his dancing became more elaborate and vibrant. What did he care if the doll's flame got a little bit bigger? Minnie was watching him, he had to make this celebration unforgettable! What would she say when next they met? What heated compliments would she pay him as he covered her in kisses? These thoughts fueled him further, and his actions became far more reckless. He ran all over the doll's arms, kicking off bits of loose straw, rolling and flapping his arms like he was the Phoenix.

“Michael!” Solaris roared, demanded to be heard and obeyed. “Michael, stop this instant! Michael!” But his commands went unheard, and he could not even grab his son, for he was too fast and free. The crowd below were oblivious to his anger, and so were also oblivious to his reasons for it. The fire in the doll began to grow taller and taller in reaction to Mickey's gleeful antics. This was the second part of the disaster.

_Summer night,  
The time is right,  
There's magic in the air!  
The beat is fresh  
The mood is clear  
We sing and dance without a care!  
Feel the passion, and excitement,  
The fever will catch you,  
With the rhyme that fills up your soul...  
WE ARE DANCING!  
Bonfire, adore it! SO-RE-SO-RE-SO-RE!  
Let the fire burn bright, tonight we are dancing!  
SO-RE-SO-RE-SO-RE!  
It really gets hot!  
When we light the bonfire!_

As Mickey continued to show off, the love-struck girls rushed forward, knocking Daisy and Minnie over. When they got to their feet, they found their view blocked by many taller girls. Daisy huffed. “How rude! We can't see a thing!”

Minnie looked around, whining softly. “We can't ask them to move.” Doing so might raise attention to who they were really were. But then she spotted a chance – off to a corner, several merchants had abandoned wooden crates in order to join in the dancing and singing. “I'll just climb those, and I'll have the best view!” She began to dash toward them, hoping she wasn't missing any of Mickey's fantastic moves.

“Minnie, wait!” Daisy tried to grab her, but the crowd had moved again, and she found herself shoved back. She grunted, and tried to push through the walls of flesh and cloth, but now it was impossible to spot where Minnie had gone off to. “Minnie?!” She called out, fear beginning to claw at her voice. “Minnie, where are you? Minnie!”

Minnie was so wrapped up in her love and excitement that she never registered Daisy's absence. She knew that this was all for her, that Mickey was going above and beyond to capture her heart. Her cheeks began to ache from all of her smiling, her voice raw from singing and laughing. Oh, how Mickey loved her! Oh, how she loved Mickey! This was a celebration of love, for just the two of them! She began to climb the large crates, wondering if perhaps Mickey could see her effort. He was all she could think of – Mickey, Mickey, her daring prince, her wondrous love, her piece of the sunlight!

_Summer night,  
The time is right,  
There's magic in the air!  
The beat is fresh  
The mood is clear  
We sing and dance without a care!  
Feel the passion, and excitement,  
The fever will catch you,  
With the rhyme that fills up your soul...  
WE ARE DANCING!  
Bon fire, adore it! SO-RE-SO-RE-SO-RE!  
Let the fire burn bright, tonight we are dancing!  
SO-RE-SO-RE-SO-RE!  
It really gets hot!  
When we light the bonfire!_

By now, Millie had Goofy pressed up to a wall, murmuring sweet nothings to him as he helplessly keeled over in pleasure. By now, King Solaris was yelling at the men who had carried the carriages to help him either stop his son or contain the fire. By now, Mickey had begun to create Minnie's name in the smoke, delirious in his passions. By now, Minnie had reached the top of the crates, and for one brilliant, exuberant moment, their eyes met.

_WE ARE DANCING!  
WE ARE DANCING!  
WE ARE DANCING!_

Then the disaster struck.

Minnie had overestimated her balance on the crates and toppled over onto the ground, bringing the crates with her. She was unharmed, but they now pinned down her robe, making her unable to move from that spot.

_Summer night,  
The time is right,  
There's magic in the air!  
The beat is fresh  
The mood is clear  
We sing and dance without a care!  
Feel the passion, and excitement,  
The fever will catch you,  
With the rhyme that fills up your soul...  
WE ARE DANCING!  
Bonfire, adore it! SO-RE-SO-RE-SO-RE!  
Let the fire burn bright, tonight we are dancing!  
SO-RE-SO-RE-SO-RE!  
It really gets hot!  
When we light the bonfire!_

The fire within the doll had begun to touch the ropes holding the massive wood and straw deity together. One rope snapped – and thus released one gigantic, fiery log, taller than the highest building in the marketplace. The snapping noise snatched everyone's attention, and they could all see it falling down. Those too lost in drunk celebration still sang, while others screamed in horror, and as Mickey watched this terror unfold, he had one more reason to scream – the log was falling towards Minnie!

_WHEN WE LIGHT THE BONFIRE!  
WHEN WE LIGHT THE BONFIRE!_

Throwing his staffs aside, he frantically ran down the doll, using small twigs and strings of straw like vines. He landed directly in front of her, and hurriedly grabbed at her robe like she already been doing. “M-Minnie, we gotta get you outta here!”

“I can't move!” Minnie cried, tugging as hard as she could, but the crates were too heavy and her robe too thick to cut easily. Hot tears of fear streamed down her face, and all she could do was say it again. “I- _I can't move!_ ”

Mickey was too afraid to think, and the log would smash them both to smithereens within seconds. With a big gulp of air, he grabbed his beloved, pushing her down, attempting to shield her with his body, though he knew in the end it would do little good. Screams overwhelmed their ears – Panchito dropped his guitar – Daisy howled for her princess – a dancing girl was shoved aside – there were flames and smoke and the impending death striking forward -

And the mice felt nothing.

Mickey waited and nothing came still. He dared to open his eyes, and then slightly turned his head back. There stood Goofy – though 'stood' was not the right word. Though the log was thicker than the dog's whole body, it was stopped in his bare hands, like a crack of lighting striking the soft earth. The Phoenix tattoo emblazoned on his back stood out, reminding all who gazed upon this scene that Goofy deserved his duties. A hush came over all, hearts pounding in their ears.

Goofy ground his teeth, and then let out a roar that would have fit the king of dinosaurs. With every single muscle he had, he mightily shoved the log back, making it sail backwards from whence it came. Solaris returned to his senses first, barking to his men to retie the log as soon as possible, and the men scrambled to obey, with fire within the doll starting to die down.

Goofy breathed haggardly, sweat dripping off his ears. Mickey stared at him, awestruck, and Minnie trembled in Mickey's arms. Then, of all sounds, laughter was heard – this was from Panchito, with his hands on his hips. “Would we expect any less from our royal guard? This is what happens when you don't plan your new year just right! I hope you all learned a valuable lesson from this!”

A ripple of talk went through the crowd – a valuable lesson? Was this a new part of the show? Panchito clapped three times, and bowed to Goofy, who was merely blinking in confusion. “Let's all give him a hand! _¡Buen trabajo!_ ” As he clapped, the audience slowly joined in, and within moments they were wildly applauding as they accepted what they had been told. They hooted Goofy's name, and laughed at Mickey, feeling foolish for being afraid. Of course Mickey would never put them in danger! What a nonsensical idea!

Goofy glanced behind, shrugging. It took him a quick second to understand Minnie's entrapment, and so when he took his theatrical bow, he 'clumsily' knocked over a crate with his spear. The crowd laughed again, and he murmured under his breath. “I think you both better split.”

“Ah. Uh. R-right.” Mickey shook as he spoke, and he almost couldn't bear to look at Minnie. “I'll, uh - I'll see you.” He wanted to apologize, to ask if she was all right, to promise this would never happen again, but if he stayed too long, people would notice and wonder who the mystery girl was. He clutched his chest, and raced back to the doll, feeling ill.

Minnie understood his reasons, and was easily able to slip back into the crowd. Only Daisy noticed her, and she threw her arms around her princess. “You - I could kill you! I can't believe you would do something so foolish! I swear...” Sentences were hard to form, when tears stung her eyes.

Minnie had not stopped quivering, and she held Daisy tightly. “I think we should go home,” she whispered, her face buried into Daisy's shoulder, the tears from before still wet on her cheeks. 

As Mickey came to his father's side he did not want to look back at the crowd. He had put every single one of his own people in danger and for what? For the girl who he had also nearly killed? Bile rose in his throat. Of course he hadn't meant to, but rules existed for a reason. Somehow that thought only occurred to him just now.

King Solaris would not look at him. “When we return to the castle,” his voice was grim, and tired. “We will speak.”

“Yes, father.” Not old man, not pa, not dad. Mickey would be reprimanded by his king, as he deserved. But it wasn't his future punishment that had Mickey biting his lip. It was the idea of what kind of person Minnie's love had turned him into. Or had he always been this reckless? Was there some slight truth to what Clara had said? 

A similar revelation had gone on within Millie, her back to the wall, slowly sliding down. She'd nearly gotten someone killed, perhaps even the prince. All for a chance to live an easy life with riches. But life was worth so much more. Guilt sagged her body down like a stone in her belly. She wasn't sure if she could ever look at Goofy again.

As Minnie and Daisy began to weave their way through the crowd, the ceremony was coming to a close.

_We are dancing! We are dancing! We are dancing!  
At the bonfire, adore it!  
Let the fire burn bright, to light up the night!  
At the bonfire, adore it!  
With the fire so hot, you won't want to stop!  
One backward dance, you'll be caught in a trance!  
Bonfire, adore it!  
It really get hot,  
Really gets hot,  
Really gets hot!  
When we light the bonfire!  
When we light the bonfire!  
When we light the bonfire!  
Let's dance!_

Panchito still wore the mask of an entertainer, and the kingdom sang with him until he made one last announcement. “And now, as we enter our new year, we must never forget those who could not join us. Their fire will always burn brightly within us!”

The unusual wording was enough to stop both Daisy and Minnie, and they looked back. On top of the doll, Solaris and Mickey were making long, waving motions with their arms, creating a fire above their heads. With every wave, the fire grew and grew, taking on a shape. At first it appeared to the Sun god, the Phoenix, brilliantly flapping its wings and giving its blessings to all. But the royals kept waving, and the figure changed to a beautiful woman, her arm triumphantly leading her people to salvation. Minnie somehow suddenly knew – this was Mickey's mother, who had died giving birth to him.

Yes, today had been a magnificent New Year's Festival, the people thought. The elders believed that the prince not wearing his own traditional armor, plus the extra scene, was breaking tradition and so were picking its flaws all the rest of the day. Meanwhile the youths were all a flutter at the prince's bravado and Goofy's strong stature. The partying continued all day and all night, even when the master of ceremonies had left to drink alone in his room.

Panchito had long suspected it, and desperately hoped he was wrong, but today proved his theory – this love would only bring devastation.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always, big thanks to my editors Drucilla and BlueShifted.
> 
> If I titled this chapter, it would be EVERYONE CRIES FOREVER. Even me - for a long time now, imagining Panchito's scene were would always get me a little weepy, even when writing it. Maybe I'm just a big ol' softie, who knows.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this peaceful respite while you can, because come the next chapter, it's time for Mortimer's villainy to shine! Or freeze, as it were.

The day after the New Year's Festival, it rained heavily in both kingdoms. To the Moons, it was an annoyance and their wet kingdom became even soggier. Despite this, José Carioca enjoyed the rain as he felt the sound it made was like beautiful music. It made a lovely accompaniment to the music inside his club. He was hoping the combination of sounds would cheer up the dark group over in the corner, and while he knew all of those faces belonged at the castle, it seemed as if they were a mismatched party since they were all giving each other unwelcome looks.

José normally never eavesdropped on his guests, but he still remembered when the princess had asked for his advice on wooing a man. After lighting his cigar, he calmly walked pass the table, pretending to be bobbing and weaving to the music and not listening in on the men who were all connected to the beloved princess.

Mortimer was the only one not drinking water, having instead chosen wine. Donald suspected it was so he could try to look suave as he moved the goblet around in his hand. Pete was moving back and forth, feeling the seats would snap under his impressive weight. Drake had taken ahold of the conversation, irritation obvious despite the ridiculous mask he was wearing. “Pete and I both managed to get off our very important shifts for this so-called 'emergency meeting' of yours, but so far, I feel like I'm risking my job just for jazz. That'll be fun to tell my kid.”

“Come now, we're all like minds,” Mortimer replied calmly after taking a far too long sip. “I just thought we should all relax a little before I change your futures. You're all going to be very important players in history.”

Donald resisted an urge to roll his eyes. “Look, can we cut to the chase here? You called us all here for a reason, and once my uncle finds out I paid for a drink I can easily get at the castle, he's going to smack me upside the head so many times I'm going to forget my first name.”

“Very well.” Mortimer placed the goblet down, and leaned back, smiling. “What I'm here to propose to you fine gentleman is...a way to win the war for good.”

Silence fell upon them for about three seconds until Pete raised his hand like a child in school. “I know I ain't the smartest guy here, but even I know there's no war going on. What are you talking about?”

“Oh, but our war against those barbarian Suns has never truly ended.” Mortimer wagged a finger in Pete's face, though he knew well enough to pull back before Pete could break it. “How can you say the war is over when both sides lost? That's impossible! No, the war will never truly be over until every single last Sun is dead. And with my plan, we can do exactly that.”

“Aaand I've lost interest,” Drake dragged the word out, before sighing heavily and straightening himself out. “Let me stop you right there and point out something. The Suns are a dirty, filthy, no good breed, everyone knows that. But they're excellent at combat. We were at war with them for hundreds of years, a tie that wasn't going to end until the Rabbit interfered. And besides, it's only been less than twenty years since they called it all off. I sincerely doubt either side has improved enough to win a full scale war.”

“You're exactly right,” Mortimer replied, his smile never wavering. “We wouldn't stand a chance. Thank you for pointing that out.”

Drake paused. “You're...welcome? I think?” Loathe as he was to admit it, now his curiosity was caught again.

“My plan entails wiping them all out in one blow!” Mortimer slammed his fist onto the table, making all the glasses rattle. “We won't need to send a single soldier over there to do the dirty work. We'll all remain safe and sound here, while they are sent off to meet their maker. History will call us the greatest heroes of all time! Our names will be immortal! And I know that's what you've all been craving.” He gestured to Pete, who was nudging his empty glass between his big hands. “Ever since the war ended, you don't know what to do. You long for fights, no matter how short. I know you've been going back to the Forbidden Forest for fights with your mystery man!”

Pete swallowed audibly. “Let's say you're half right.”

Mortimer went on, now pointing at Drake. “You just want to protect the Moon Kingdom, but everyone mocks your effort because you go the extra mile. If you work with me, people won't laugh at your purple mask anymore!”

Drake fingered the mask between his fingers before mumbling, “It's mauve.”

Since Donald was closest to him, Mortimer grabbed his shoulder and held it tightly. “And then there's you, poor Donald Duck! Not only does your uncle treat you unfairly, but you have that crazy Daisy hounding you down every chance she gets. Once we finish this, she'll know she's not good enough for you, and you can get your hands on a real woman!”

Donald had been doing an excellent job in keeping his emotions under wraps today, even though this supposed plan was making him vastly uncomfortable. But now that Mortimer was on sensitive territory, his suppressed anger had started to bubble, shown by a twitch under his eye. “I get the point.”

“You can finally be with a woman of society, instead of some floozy nutball who never shuts her big mouth beak!”

The twitch came faster. “I get it.”

“Honestly, the second I marry Princess Minerva, that broad is out of there! I bet she's why the princess keeps running away! Talk about a terrible influence! I have half a mind to find her and-”

Mortimer wasn't sure how many bones made up a wrist, but he guessed at least one of them snapped when Donald grabbed ahold and twisted it around as much as he could. “And _do what?_ ” he growled, his anger leaking out like a dam ready to burst. “You really must have half a mind if you think I would ever go along with whatever you're planning! I'm not going to murder an entire population just because people give me and Daisy the stink eye!” He then slammed Mortimer's hand down, his fingers digging in. “And if you ever talk that way about her again, I'LL BASH YOUR BRAINS IN UNTIL YOU'VE GOT LESS THAN HALF!”

The other patrons in nearby booths and chairs had begun to turn at Donald's emotional outburst. Drake began to slide out of his seat. “I'm going to agree with the explosion here. I could never do that sort of thing and be able to look my daughter in the eyes again. Besides, I've got her, I've got Morgana, what do I care what other people think?” After smoothing down his clothes, he began to walk away, ready for Donald to follow him.

Donald also left his seat, but as Mortimer held up his aching wrist, the tutor leaned in to give one last warning. “If this is the kind of guy you really are, there's no way you're ever going to marry Princess Minerva. Not if I can help it! She deserves better!” Leaving that hanging in the air, he marched after Drake, his head held high. Let the people gawk and stare. He had no regrets about what he'd said.

“Ingrates,” Mortimer grumbled, rubbing his aching wrist. His eyes then slowly slid back to Pete, who had been unusually quiet ever since the whole conversation began. Upon realizing that Pete had yet to make any objections to what had been said, Mortimer's sly smile reappeared instantly. “Maybe you are the smartest fellow here after all! I take it this means you're on board?”

It's difficult to paint people as wholly evil and wholly good. In the deepest reaches of his heart, Pete knew that this scheme wasn't the right thing to do. But yesterday he'd spent hours waiting for the Sun woman who never came, and he had felt disappointment that bogged down his entire body. He wanted to see her again and prove he was the strongest between the two of them. Unfortunately Mortimer had chosen the right words to sway Pete, and his fingers clenched, aching for the glory that came with a victory.

If what Mortimer said was right, he could have respect like he did back in the good old days. Maybe even the Queen would respect him. He wanted to be more than a forgotten relic and he needed to mean something to someone. That was why when he opened his mouth he said, “Yeah, I guess I am.”

“Excellent!” Mortimer offered his hand to shake, remembered that it was injured, and opted to use his other hand. “You've just made your own chapter in history! No one will forget your part in how you made this world a better place! Don't you worry about those ducks, they don't know what they're missing. In time, they'll see we're right. All I need is two pieces of this puzzle to fall into place. The first piece is where you come in.”

Pete blinked slowly. “What about the other piece?” He was so drawn in on the mystery plan he didn't notice José had begun putting out his cigar on the adjacent table, the leftover smoke hiding his horrified reaction.

“I'm not exactly sure where to place it yet.” Mortimer looked at his reflection in the wine. For a brief time, he recalled Princess Minerva's ballet, and how for one brilliant shining moment, he thought she loved him. “But I will soon. Scrooge McDuck has told me he's heard some odd noises coming from the marsh gardens sometimes...”

~*~

In the Sun Kingdom, any kind of rain was welcomed and celebrated. People would grab their pots and pans, anything that could hold water, and rush out to catch as much of it as possible. In times gone by, Mickey would have gone out and danced in the water, enjoying the feel of it on his fur and pushing Horace into puddles of fresh mud. Instead, he was inside the castle trying to listen to Horace's latest lesson. King Solaris also stood there, his back straight as he took up a corner. During the extremely long lecture after the New Year's disaster, he had made a vow to watch over Mickey's lessons with Horace, since the boy could no longer be trusted.

Horace had been among the spectators during the festival and he'd suspected that the “extra addition” in the usual dance battle hadn't been planned at all. It was confirmed when he came to work that day, feeling the heavy tension in the air. Mickey's typically mischievous face was downcast and worn out. Goofy kept his head low, only daring to look up every now and then. Solaris never took his eyes off of Mickey, even when Horace entered the room.

This sort of situation was exactly what Horace had been wishing out loud for some time, but it didn't feel like a win. He inhaled loudly before picking up a piece of chalk. “I suppose in light of what's happened, perhaps we should have a history lesson today, dating back to when the origins of the New Year's Festival started.” When no one said a word, he began to draw a picture of the straw doll on the rocky material. “In ancient times, smaller versions of these dolls were used in a ritual to burn away a person's regrets that they gathered that year. It was seen as a way to better themselves for the upcoming year.” Still nothing, and it was starting to creep him out. “As families and traditions merged, larger dolls were made to compose an entire family's regrets. Straw was gathered from each member of the family, and every generation made that family's doll bigger and bigger.”

Horace spared a look behind him. Mickey was watching him, and actually appeared to be listening as best he could. It was as if his eyes were straining. It then occurred to Horace – what if the prince didn't just run away from the lessons because he found them dull? What if he ran away because he honestly couldn't follow it? Horace looked at the piece of chalk in his hands. The last time Mickey had absorbed a day's lesson was when they had gotten into an actual discussion between the two of them, a conversation of give and take.

Perhaps lessons didn't need to merely about talking and talking and talking. “But, maybe you'd learn it better if we made our own straw doll.”

Even the King looked up at that, surprised. Mickey sat up taller. “What? Really?”

Horace found himself smiling and didn't know why. “What better way for you to understand how it worked? Plus it'll give you an appreciation for what your people went through.” He then clapped, sending chalk dust around the air. “I'm sure we can find all the materials here in the castle, left over from the festival! We'll make it a class trip and all look together.”

“That kinda sounds like fun,” Goofy chirped, standing up on his feet.

Solaris pushed himself off of the corner wall. “It would be nice to move these old bones about.”

Mickey was quiet again, but he followed the small group out of the room, his head a little higher than it was before. Unlike the Moon castle which was stuffed with servants all over, the Sun castle was often hollow and empty, save for this exact band of men. They explored all the different rooms, gathering straw, rope, and even ash to decorate their dolls. It was Goofy who suggested adding decorations like buttons and felt, and Horace explained how the tradition of the straw dolls became a unifying passion among all Suns. Even Solaris was learning a new thing or two, much to his own amusement. But throughout it all, Mickey never said a word.

Back in the lesson room, the men all sat down and began to tie their dolls together. Horace felt proud that he finally gotten something to sink into Mickey's head, but when he looked up, he saw that Mickey had stopped wrapping the straw to create the doll's left leg. “Your Highness?” he asked, waiting for a question, or maybe a complaint.

“It's not big enough,” Mickey said, his voice a sad whisper.

Horace glanced at the doll, which to him seemed to be average sized. “What do you mean?”

“It's not big enough for all my regrets,” Mickey replied, and that's when it happened. King Solaris, Goofy, and Horace had all been with Mickey ever since he was a child, and as a result, all three of them were shocked to the core to see Mickey suddenly burst into tears. This was no quiet quiver or subtle sob, this was wailing that would make a newborn stop to stare. The men couldn't remember the last time Mickey had shed a single tear, much less go into horrific hysterics. It left them utterly clueless as what to do.

“I've-I've-I've-” Mickey struggled to get out coherent words in the midst of his cries, as wet streams rolled down his orange cheeks. He had put the love of his life in unspeakable danger, as well as everyone in the kingdom he was meant to rule someday. He had put their lives at risk for fun. This pit of self-loathing was so new to the prince that it frightened him down to his soul. “I've been a rotten, no good, awful prince! I've been the worst friend ever! I don't – I don't deserve to have any of you! I only cared about myself! And-and-and I can't even say I'm sorry to my own people, cause they think it was all an act!”

Solaris looked at Horace who shrugged helplessly. Neither of them could figure out how to stop Mickey, or even if they should.

“I'm just a-a-a stupid kid!” Mickey shouted out, but his tears were finally paused when Goofy ever so gently stuck his arms under Mickey's armpits and lifted him up.

Goofy sat Mickey down on his lap and affectionately rubbed him between the ears. “Well now,” he said after a moment, “I think it's good you admitted that.”

Mickey sniffled, looking up at his best friend. “It is?”

“Sure is.” Goofy smiled, continuing to pet him. “I mean, how else are you gunna learn if you don't admit you were wrong? Seems like a pretty good step to me. Proper apologies are real important, I figure.”

“Maybe he should be the royal teacher,” Solaris mused, stroking his beard.

Mickey hugged his knees and took three deep breaths before trying to speak again. “I don't want to put anyone in that kind of danger ever again. But now I can't trust myself at all. All I wanted to do was make someone special happy, but when other folks told me how it could hurt people, I didn't listen. I thought I was smarter than everyone else. How do I know I won't mess up again?”

“You don't know,” Horace told him, setting aside his straw doll. “That's just it. None of us can ever be totally sure of our future or what we'll do. It's good that you regret your actions, but...in a way, this was necessary for you.”

Mickey blinked quickly. “Necessary?”

“I agree.” Solaris nodded slowly, clasping his weathered hands together, his own straw doll having uneven bits sticking out near the arms. “Sometimes you can't understand things until you do them the wrong way. It's an unfortunate part of life, but when you take a punch from a man, you know how to dodge the next one. You have done bad things, my son, but that doesn't make you a bad person.”

Mickey knew this was supposed to cheer him up and make him reflect on things with better clarity. But the first thing it was doing was making him feel worse, because for all of his bratty behavior and selfishness, these people still loved him and wanted to help him. He still felt he didn't deserve any of this, and it brought back the full force of his tears. Mickey had tossed them all into the dirt for a love that he only now saw could bring about danger. He should never have placed Minnie on such a high pedestal – there should have been equality for her and his people.

Goofy hugged Mickey from behind, resting his head between his orange ears. “You let it out all you need to, buddy. It's all right.”

So Mickey did – he let out his fears for his future, how he thought becoming an adult was some far off fantasy he would never touch, and how he had treated his own people as mere toys that existed only for his pleasure. He let out that he believed love was a magical cure-all that would solve all his problems without putting any real effort toward it. He let out how he saw Horace and Solaris as antagonists instead of aides, how he had made Goofy into a lowly servant instead of a loyal companion – and when he thought he had run out of things to let out, he at last said he worried he was never truly worthy of Minnie's love.

Horace was confused as to who “Minnie” was, unable to put the dots together just yet. Solaris didn't offer his own insight and allowed his son to say everything that needed to be said. When an eternity passed and Mickey was no longer crying, they broke apart their dolls, and created one large one together with their materials.

As they burnt it, Mickey gazed into the flames and felt strength return to his body. It was time to fix things.

~*~

There was another round of unusual silence going on the Moon kingdom. When they first returned to the kingdom and were inside the castle, Minnie expected a number of lectures from Daisy. Yet her usually chatty friend hadn't said anything at all, nor had she spoken a word that day. The castle employees wondered if she was finally shaping up and going to behave like a proper Moon. With the silence, Minnie felt as if she was all alone and it was worse than any lecture could have delivered.

It was only after Donald left after the day's lesson that Minnie lost her patience. She waited as Donald exited the room, and she stared at Daisy, waiting to hear her gush about the tutor but nothing came about. Driven to her wit's end, Minnie rushed out from her desk and grabbed ahold of Daisy's arm. “I'm sorry!” she pleaded, her voice desperate with agony. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for what happened! Please, Daisy, don't ignore me like this!”

Mercifully, Daisy turned her head towards the princess, and brushed some stray bangs spilling onto her forehead. “It's something you will have to get used to anyway.”

Minnie didn't let go of Daisy's arm, but she eased her grip somewhat. “What do you mean?”

“Queen Lune doesn't have a lady-in-waiting,” Daisy pointed out, smoothing down her dress and avoiding Minnie's eyes temporarily. “No Queen ever has. Why should they? At that point, they've learned all they need to know, and don't need help anymore. One day, I'll have to leave and we'll never see each other again. So maybe we should start getting ready for that right away.”

Minnie knew she should automatically object to that, but the words for it didn't come as fast as she wanted. Daisy was right and that was terrible. “But...but...That's not fair!” It felt childish on her tongue, yet true all the same. She shook her head hard in defiance, scrambling to come up with a better argument. “How could you possibly think I don't need you anymore? When I ignored you at the festival, I put my life in danger!”

“I know!” Now Daisy's voice came stronger, and her thin body began to shake, though she still wouldn't meet Minnie's face no matter how hard Minnie implored. “I know how close I came to losing you, but you don't get it. Once you and I are done, that's it for me. I don't have anyone else. So...I need to start living with that. I need to start learning how to live alone for the rest of my life.”

“What in the world are you talking about?” Minnie walked around, trying to make Daisy look at her, still to no avail. “What about Morgana and José? They're your friends, they'll always care about you!”

Daisy closed her eyes and held them shut as tight as she could. If she cried now, she wouldn't last in a lonely future. “I'm just another customer to Morgana, and José has his customers! But they're all I have outside the castle. Even Donald doesn't care about me, no matter how hard I tried...but there's nothing I can do about any of this!” She stepped back, almost pushing the princess off of her. “No one wants me around because of how I dress and how I act! But I can't change who I am, and I don't understand why I have to.” It was here her voice began to break, and the tears she had been so vigilantly to fight off came nonetheless. “Why is being the real me so horrible? Am...Am I really that awful to be around?”

Minnie not only had lost her ability to speak, but the strength of her legs gave way, and she sat on her large dress, stunned at the twofold revelation. How long had cheerful, peppy, always smiling Daisy been holding into this anguish? What kind of a friend was Minnie not to notice this? “No!” she suddenly spat out, her delicate fingers creating hardened fists. “No, you are not, and I command you to never say such a terrible thing about yourself again!”

Daisy had rarely, if ever, heard Minnie give anyone an actual command. Even to her own servants, Minnie politely asked others to do as she wished. “You _command_ me?” It was so odd that she had to repeat it just to make sure it hadn't been imagined.

“Y-Yes, that's right!” Minnie held her head up, pushing her fists on the floor. “I am Princess Minerva Mouse, and everyone in the kingdom is to someday obey my orders, so you I'm telling you, you must never ever _ever_ think you're unloveable! Because you are my dearest friend in the whole wide world, and I won't have you thinking I'd throw you away like a used napkin!” So _this_ what it was like to be commanding. It didn't feel natural, but it wasn't as hard as Minnie had always imagined it to be. Was this what Queen Lune felt on a daily basis? On a balancing act between uncomfortable but strong?

Daisy's shoulders lowered, and the urge to weep lessened with each passing moment. “I suppose, if it is an order from Her Highness, it must be obeyed.” She took her time in walking back to the princess, and gently put her arms around Minnie, holding her tenderly. “Silly girl. If you'd put half as much love into yourself as you do me and those around you...”

Minnie buried her cheek into Daisy's dress, returning the embrace just as strongly. “I'm so sorry that I didn't notice how sad you were. I really haven't been paying attention to anything but Mickey.”

“Don't tell me you're going to dump him now, after everything,” Daisy tried to joke, but the weakness in her voice made it difficult. But the fact that Minnie didn't immediately deny it made her worried, and she knelt down, holding Minnie's hands within her own.

“Things need to change,” Minnie said after a deep breath. “Not just with Mickey and me, but with everything here. You still need to help me become a proper, strong Queen who can make change. I'm still going to make so many mistakes. So you can't leave my side. Understand?”

At last Daisy smiled. It seemed like forever since she last had such an expression, but it felt like it'd been missing its home and was eager to return. “Of course, Minnie. I won't leave you, not until you tell me so yourself.” Which now Daisy doubted would ever come, regardless of what was proper of a Queen to do. The girls held each other, taking quiet comfort in their warmth and the patters of rain out on the balcony.

It had also been raining on the day they first met, when Minnie was out in the kingdom looking for the perfect servant. While others offered umbrellas and the shelter of their homes, it was Daisy who danced in the drops and pulled Minnie along to do the same. Daisy had no idea she was playing with royalty – she only knew she saw a lonely girl who needed a smile. 

~*~

Peg was also feeling lonely, but not in the soul-crushing way that Daisy had admitted to. She hadn't seen Millie since the New Year's Festival, nor Panchito. She suspected that odd fat loaf that kept destroying her wares wouldn't be in the forest today due to the rain, and she didn't understand why that added to her unhappiness. Of course, what really helped was that in this precise moment, she was literally all by herself.

As much fun as drinking and dancing were, rain was something the Sun Kingdom couldn't afford to lose. All the dancers and usual patrons were outside trying to fill their share of water. Peg had already filled three jugs worth and had run out of things to fill up. Bored and alone, Peg was in the empty bar trying to find any left behind coins and cleaning up here and there. She contemplated visiting Millie later on in the day – that “extra act” in the Festival had spooked the living daylights out of the poodle. Peg was unsure if it really had been planned, and tried to ask Panchito about it once the show ended.

But the moment it had, Panchito had sprinted back to the bar and locked himself up in the wine cellar. No amount of flirting from the girls or singing from the customers would get him to come out. Peg sat on a wobbly table and sighed. “Maybe this place isn't the worst,” she said out loud to herself. If she missed Millie and Panchito's company, who she had only met because of the bar, then maybe the bar wasn't such a shameful place to work at. “I wonder what that big tub of lard is doing?”

Peg heard a choked gasp,and she turned to see Clara Cluck standing in the entrance, looking aghast. “Oh, hey there, Clara.” It took Peg a few seconds to realize why Clara appeared so insulted. “Oh, no, I wasn't talking about you, Clara!” It caused her to laugh. “Trust me, the guy I'm thinking of has got a way bigger gut than yours.”

“Thanks?” Clara wasn't sure what to do with that information. She walked inside, shaking rainwater off of her feathers. “Why aren't you outside with everyone else?”

Peg shrugged one shoulder, and a loose sleeve fell off. “I've got my fair share already. I swear, those people, we'd get a huge flood and they'd be jumping for joy.” She then paused, and slid off the table onto her feet. “I could ask the same about you, though. What brings you in on the quietest day at the bar?”

Clara looked down, shuffling her awkward feet around the dirty floor. “Um, well. I'm not sure if Panchito told you, but he and I...we sort of had a fight a while ago, and I wanted to talk about it.” While Clara still believed Mickey was playing a dangerous game, there had been guilt in her heart about casting Panchito out of her life. Maybe it had been unfair to judge everything without having all the details, and if her friend was willing to give them, she wanted to hear it all from the beginning. Plus she missed him terribly, even if she wasn't special to him.

Peg snorted with wide, open nostrils. “Told us? Honey, Panchito never 'tells' us about anything! He just says how pretty we are and then moves on. You're probably the only one he ever has an actual conversation with. I figured it was a bird thing.” Missing Clara's surprised reaction, Peg walked until she was on top of the cellar door in the floor. “Anyway, good luck trying to get a word out of him. Ever since the festival ended, he hasn't left the cellar. Watch.” She cleared her throat, and then stomped her foot three times in rapid succession. “Hey, birdbrain, do you want this place to go under? If you drink all that booze, there won't be anything left for anyone else!

Clara yelped, covering her beak with her hands. “Drinking all that – do you really think he's drinking everything in there?' The wine cellar was packed full of barrels from top to bottom. If Panchito was truly drinking every single drop inside, he wouldn't live long enough to enjoy the buzz after.

Peg hopped off the door. “I thought I heard drinking sounds earlier. Besides, what else would he be – hey!” Any ideas as to what else Panchito could be doing were interrupted when Clara rushed ahead, accidentally knocking Peg over. The lady hen may have seemed fragile in nature, but when she grabbed ahold of the locked door, the creaking and groaning of the hinges was enough to prove that her girth was more than stomach. Peg couldn't even get angry, she was too impressed as the display of strength in front of her. She was even tempted to applaud once the door was finally wrestled open, but Clara didn't stick around for her audience.

“Panchito!” Clara called out as she began to descend the ladder. “Panchito, whatever you're doing, you'd better stop!” She couldn't think of what to threaten him with as she came closer to the floor. It soon became apparent that Peg wasn't merely speculating. Many barrels had been toppled over, their precious cargo spilling onto the ground. Panchito was shaking from head to toe, his eyes worn out from endless tears. Just as he was trying to dunk the mug into an open barrel, Clara called out again.

“Panchito, stop it!” Once on the floor, Clara ran forward, and unable to think of anything else, she slammed her body into the open barrel. It fell onto its side, splashing its contents out. Panchito made a strange gurgled cry, trying to cup whatever he could get into his hands. “Panchito, _STOP!_ ” Now truly desperate, Clara slapped Panchito across the face, though she didn't mean to send him spiraling towards the ground. The drunken rooster dropped his mug, sitting up on the floor dizzily.

“What are you doing?” Clara asked, grabbing Panchito by the shoulders and trying to force him onto his feet. “Are you trying to kill yourself?”

“But don't you see, Clara?” Panchito's voice was slurred and hysteric, his head flopping backward with his eyes on the ceiling, yet his vision was off somewhere far away. “It's coming! The war, it's coming back!”

“The war?” she asked incredulously, but didn't ease her grip. “Is this because of what I said? Because of what Prince Mickey is doing with the Princess of the Moon Kingdom?” She swallowed, trying to connect the dots but she didn't have all the lines. “Are you really that afraid of war?”

“You don't know what war does! No one does, not until it's too late!” Panchito was yelling at the top of lungs yet didn't seem to realize he was doing so. His arms lay limp at his sides, and upon closer inspection, Clara saw that some of his feathers had been ripped off. “War makes men into animals! It makes the innocent into targets! I can't go through it again! I can't! The Phoenix ignores my prayers, and the screams keep coming! Both kingdoms will be devoured in flames, just as we deserve!”

Clara was at a complete loss as to how to calm Panchito down or make him coherent. She looked around the room, but saw nothing that could aide her. Then for a moment she saw Panchito's back reflected in the wine, and she could see the tattoo on his back that had once held a soldier's insignia. “Panchito...what happened to you during the war?”

“What happened?!” he cried out, and then he grasped his head with both hands. “I happened! I took honor in every Moon that lay helpless at our feet! It became a game between me and the other soldiers! I wanted to keep winning! All for the glory of the Sun! All for the Phoenix! I saw honor in it, nobility, and I wanted to prove how much better we were!” As he screamed, he began to fall onto his knees. “I went ahead, ignoring orders. I wanted to get to the Moon kingdom and get a head start on my score. What did I care? They were just Moons!”

Clara was afraid for what she was to hear, but she didn't stop him. Instead she sat down on the floor as the rooster ducked his head lower and lower. “The first building I found, I set it aflame! I didn't care who was inside, I didn't think – I didn't know – I didn't realize - ” He then slammed his fists into the pools of wine, splattering the liquid all over. “ _It was a school!_ ”

Even to this day, Panchito could hear the screams of little children calling for their mothers, see the frightened teachers rushing the small ones out as fast as they could, and try as he might for years, the wine never erased a single solitary detail. Panchito's fingers pressed into his face, as if ready to tear out his own eyeballs. “Tiny _niños_ , their faces burnt, the teachers' clothes lit aflame, but – but how did I never realize they had children?! That they had women and innocents just as we did? And they'll all suffer, Sun and Moon alike, I know it! I can't escape it! It's my fate to hear them forever!”

Clara didn't know when she too had started weeping. She took a quick glance above, and thankfully Peg hadn't been listening to anything that had been said. She had probably decided to give them privacy and left the bar – or gone to the forest to wait for her mystery man. Panchito was sure that a sickened Clara would leave as soon as possible and keep her word that she wouldn't speak to him again.

Only then did Panchito put the pieces together and realize that Clara hadn't kept her word about that in the first place. He lifted his head, and Clara blinked back at him, wondering if he had more to confess. She hadn't felt it was her place to say anything, nor could she find any words that could possibly comfort a man who had been tormented for years. Panchito finally managed to say something that wasn't screamed at the top of his lungs. “You're here.”

She waited a moment, unsure if she was supposed to confirm the obvious. “Well, yes. Yes, I am.”

“You said you wouldn't talk to me again.”

“Yes. I did. But I changed my mind. I'm allowed to do that, I think.” Clara put her hands together, twiddling her thumbs. “I still think the Prince needs to think about his kingdom before any girl. But I'd like to know how it all happened, if you know it. And I promise not tell a soul.”

“You're here,” Panchito said again, blinking slowly.

“Uh, yes, I believe we already established that.”

“You're here.”

“Oh, dear.” Clara sighed, and then got back onto her feet. “I think we need to get all the alcohol out of your system. And get some real food into you. And a bath. Maybe not necessarily in that order.” She then lifted Panchito up and hoisted him over her shoulder. “I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't throw up on me, by the way. Here we go.”

“You're here.”

“Yes, Panchito, yes I'm here.” Maybe, along the way of things they needed to do, she'd find a way to comfort him and offer him the words he needed to hear. She had to wonder if other soldiers in the war were similarly haunted by their pasts, and that's why people never went into detail about the supposed glorious war. Oh well, that was no business of hers. For now she had a friend to take care of. If only she could figure out how stop the screams in his head.

Never did it occur to her that as he kept repeating, “You're here”, he heard nothing but her footsteps as they went up the ladder.

~*~

The sun had fallen but the rain had yet to let up. Millie suspected she'd be hearing it all night, which was just as well since she didn't plan on sleeping. She certainly hadn't the night before, as the memories of the festival were still burned into her skull. Though she didn't entirely understand what had happened, she knew that if she had kept Goofy distracted a second longer, the prince would have been killed. Greedy as she was, maliciousness was not a part of her. She had never wished for harm upon another, even for the sake of her goals.

There was a knock on her wall, since the Sun kingdom lacked doors. She didn't have to think hard about who it could have been. Millie didn't bother standing up as she looked to see Goofy, who was dripping wet but smiling as if it was sunnier than summer. “Hiya, Millie. How you been?”

“Just the man I wanted to see.” Millie had used this line before on the bodyguard, but this time it contained none of its usual flirtation or sweetness. “Sit down. We need to talk.”

“Okey-dokey.” Goofy sat across from her on the floor, slapping his hands on his legs. “Whaddya wanna talk about?”

Millie rubbed her face, feeling the bags under her eyes. “You're a good man. Better than most. Better than what I'm used to. What I saw at the New Year's Festival...you didn't just get to be where you are because of your father. You earned the right to be by the prince's side. You deserve all that you've earned in life, and so much more. You – you deserve to be with someone better.”

Goofy made a “hm” noise and tilted his head, the rainwater on his ears dripping off. “This is some kinda talk, Millie.”

Millie wasn't wholly surprised that she'd have to spell it out for him, but it was uncomfortable all the same. She rolled her shoulders and cast her eyes away, not wanting to draw this out and make it hurt any worse. “I didn't start hitting on you because I liked you. I've been trying to make you marry me so I could have your money.”

Goofy looked up, then tilted his head in a different direction, and then nodded. “Yup, that all adds up.”

Maybe she should have suspected that, like all their other encounters, Goofy would throw her a giant curveball. Millie's muscles went rigid. “What? You mean you knew? All this time, you knew I was just stringing you along?”

Goofy raised a hand, making a wavey motion. “Kinda. I mean, shoot, you knew nothing about me when we first talked except where I worked. Folks don't fall in love for no reason, I figured.”

“Then why in the world have you kept this up?” Millie snapped, the bells on her clothes jingling along with her anger. “I know you by now, you're not the kind of guy who has his way with women and tosses them aside! If you knew I was playing you, why did you let me? Even you're not that...that goofy!”

The bodyguard closed his eyes, resting his head in one hand as he recalled the day that was so long ago but was still as fresh as yesterday. “When I first saw you dancing in the bar, I thought you were awful pretty, and had a real nice smile on. But you had the saddest eyes I'd ever seen. And I couldn't figure out how someone could dance all pretty-like, but still be so sad. Guess I was curious. And I wanted to see if I could get you to not be so sad anymore.” As with most of Goofy's logic, he'd thought this had been obvious to everyone around him, which was why he'd never bothered to explain it. “And along the way-”

“That's ridiculous!” Millie cut him off, and now she was standing above him, hands on her hips. “You think you know me so well? Nobody does! Not even I do! This is all an act, every piece of it! The dancing, the way I talk, the way I walk, everything about me is a fabrication!”

Goofy blinked twice. “Is it?”

“Of course it is! Everything I am is designed to make men adore me! There's...” Her voice began to weaken, much to her own horror, and she tried to force strength back into it. “There's nothing real about me. I'm just what everyone wants me to be. It's like there's always been this big, beautiful story, and I have to do whatever I can to look like I belong! How can you possibly want to be with someone who doesn't exist?”

“But you do exist.” Goofy wasn't arguing it with emotion or even trying to put Millie at ease. He simply saw things as they were, nothing more and nothing less. “You're standing right in front of me.”

“That's not what I mean!” Millie stamped her foot down, growing more frustrated by the second. “You can't love what isn't there! Do you even know the first thing about love?”

Goofy shrugged. “Do you? Does anyone?”

Millie tried to counterpoint and literally point with her finger, but nothing came about. So Goofy kept talking. “Way I see it, love works different for everybody. Ain't no two people that feel the same way about it. That's why you got all them love poems and stories and plays for people tryin' to explain it their way. I don't see anythin' wrong with that. And I don't see anythin' wrong with you. If you don't think there's a real Millie around, maybe we can find her together. I think that'd be all right.” He smiled, and waited.

Millie grunted, hemmed, hawed, and made a great many number of noises. Here she was trying to break things off for his own good, and he had to throw a wrench in that as well. She never did have any idea what she was getting into with him. She made airy gestures with her hands, trying to articulate something, but gave up. He wouldn't understand no matter what she said - or maybe it was the other way around. “What if you don't like the real Millie?”

Another shrug. “Won't know unless I try. Maybe we should start things over, if you're so worried about it all.” He then clapped his hands loudly, and bowed his head as if that would dump out all his memories. He lifted his head, smiling warmly again. “My name is Goofy. I'm the bodyguard to Prince Mickey. Sure is nice to meet you!”

Deflated, Millie sat back down and laid her head on his shoulder, not caring that his fur was still very damp. “My name is Millie – Millicent. Millicent Manchester. I'm a dancer. It's...it's nice to meet you too, Goofy.” Somebody needed to take care of him and point out the obvious. Apparently that duty fell upon her.

“Well then, Miss Millicent, why are you a dancer?”

Millie closed her eyes, and her hand found his. “When I was a little girl, I thought it would make the Phoenix look at me more than anyone else. I would practice from sunrise to sunset, even when the music was only in my head...” Goofy wound up staying over all night, and get a fair bit of teasing about it from King Solaris. Horace merely rolled his eyes, and Mickey politely asked this and that, wanting to know all about Goofy's girl.

Come morning, the rain had cleaned up all of the previous day's messes. The Sun people tucked away their extra water and eagerly waited for the next rainfall. For many, they considered it a very good day.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always, major thanks to my editors Drucilla and BlueShifted , especially since they had to do this twice over! How do you two put up with me?
> 
> So I do admit to tearing up here and there as I wrote this, and hopefully you'll feel just as upset when you read!

The true end to the war began with a headache. It was growing late in the evening when Queen Lune pulled back from her work desk and rubbed her temples. As Queen it was her duty to listen to her people's complaints and wishes, such as permission to open a business or fix a broken walkway. There was nothing dreadfully urgent on this day, so when she saw Scrooge McDuck entering her office she stood up. “If you could finish up here, Sir Scrooge, it would be greatly appreciated.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” When it came to Scrooge and his duties, he rarely asked questions. As he approached the desk, he cleared his throat, yet hesitated to speak right away. “My nephew has spoken to me about Sir Mortimer Rodawn. He believes that Sir Rodawn isn't a good match for the princess.”

Queen Lune raised an eyebrow, coming out from behind her desk. “Did he give any particular reason?”

“He feels that Sir Rodawn cares much more for power than for your daughter. In addition, he says Sir Rodawn has plans about the Sun Kingdom of a most disturbing nature. My nephew is many things, my lady. Foolish, ill-mannered, bad-tempered...” Queen Lune waited patiently as Scrooge went through twenty more descriptions. “...but I know he cares very deeply for Princess Minerva. He wouldn't have told me this if he didn't sincerely believe they were a bad match.”

“And I trust your judgement,” she replied after nodding once. “I will speak with Minerva right away. If she agrees with what Sir Donald has said, then I will have Sir Rodawn leave at once.” Before she could add more, she sighed, rubbing her temple.

Scrooge picked up on it at once, stopping where he was. “Under the weather, Your Highness?”

“I'm afraid so. Don't concern yourself over such trivial matters.”

The old man clicked his tongue and turned away. “The Queen of our kingdom's health as trivial! My lady, it would do us all a great good if you actually talked about your problems every once in a while. I'll fetch you some medicine.” He tsked once more as he left the room. “Like mother, like daughter.”

Queen Lune frowned, wondering what he could have meant by that comment. Minerva wasn't much like Luna – in the queen's opinion, the little princess was far more polite, far more beautiful, and far better company to be around. How could anyone compare the two? She wouldn't be surprised if her lovely daughter made a better Queen as well. She was about to imagine that glorious day when her door opened again, but this time it was Pete.

“Uh, Y-Your Highness.” Pete swallowed audibly, glancing out and behind him for every other word. “I need to talk to you about something. It's really important.”

The Queen turned her back to him, going over her leftover papers again. “It will have to wait. I need to see my daughter immediately. Once Sir Scrooge returns with my medicine, I won't have time for anything else.”

Pete walked inside and closed the door. He absolutely didn't want to do this, and every beat of his heart pleaded with him to turn around and forget Mortimer's plan. Yet his pride was loud and obnoxious. There was glory to be had, and he wanted to be more than just a waiting statue at the front doors. “What I have to say is really important too. It can't wait.”

Queen Lune sighed with deep annoyance, rubbing her temple again. “What is it that you need right this second?”

There wasn't supposed to be a script here, no grand justification and explanation for the things he was about to do. Yet Pete spoke anyway, his eyes on the back of his ruler. “For – for a long time I was just a soldier. And I was real proud of that. Made me feel like I was born to do something in this world, since I wasn't good at much else. I'm not smart, I'm not talented, I'm only good at makin' people feel pain and stop what they're doing. But when the war was over, it felt like a big laugh in my face.” The Queen hadn't moved. Pete thought she might be ignoring him, when in reality she was hanging onto every word. “Like I never needed to be born in the first place! Like no one ever needed me! Maybe you couldn't understand, every place needs someone to rule over 'em, but not everyone needs guys like me. And I... I...”

Pete hesitated. Perhaps he remembered the real reason why he was chosen to work at the castle. Perhaps he thought of the Sun woman who “abandoned” him in the forest. Perhaps a million things went through his head, but none of them were powerful enough to stop him. “I'm sorry.”

The Queen stopped shuffling her paperwork, puzzled by his apology, but she never had time to ask what it was for. After being away from the battlefield for so long, it was only natural her guard was down and she never saw the attack coming. Pete grabbed Queen Lune by her tightly wound bun of hair, and slammed her cheek first into the desk, knocking her out in an instant. Amazingly she still managed to hold onto her staff, though Pete suspected it wouldn't stay in her grasp for long. He had to move fast before everything went to pieces.

He had her slumped against his big body, making careful movements as he exited the room with her. Just as he entered the hallway, Scrooge returned with a bottle of medicine, but he quickly turned his head to see the two departing. “Your Highness?” he called after, worry obvious in his tone.

Pete jerked, but he remembered the lie Mortimer had crafted for him. “Her Highness ain't feeling all that right. I'm taking her to her chambers so she can rest it off. Make sure no one disturbs her, you got that?”

Scrooge frowned, his thumb running over the bottle. “It's gotten that bad already? Let me at least give her-”

“She said she needs to sleep it off, so let her sleep!” Pete snapped, starting to move again. The fashion of the Moons was working in his favor, as due to the Queen's long dress, it was difficult to tell she wasn't actually moving her feet. “And if anyone comes to wake her up, I'll knock their block off!”

The old duck blinked rapidly at the declaration. “Huh. Very well. I must say, it's about time you showed her the proper respect. Perhaps you really do belong here after all.” Unaware that he'd launched a dagger into Pete's heart, he walked off in the opposite direction. He considered getting a doctor if she continued to feel ill, but for now, he trusted Pete's judgement. He was one of the few who knew why the Queen was so grateful to Pete, and assumed Pete held that bond close in his heart. He never guessed about the holes in Pete's memory.

Pete shut his eyes hard for a long moment, and then resumed shuffling off to the Queen's bedchambers. He couldn't look at the Queen, and berated himself for his weakness. These guilty feelings would pass once Mortimer had his final battle, he was sure of it. The Queen would forgive them for their actions and they'd all get what they wanted. He told himself this over and over, a mantra in his head that failed to assure him of anything. Yet it was too late to back out now. 

In a useless effort to distract his aching heart, he wondered where Mortimer was, and why he wasn't at the bedchambers to start the next phase of the plan. For now, he laid the Queen down on her bed and locked the doors, waiting for the other members of the plan to come.

The kingdom would know him as a hero. So why did he feel like a villain?

~*~

While Pete was lamenting the choices in his life, the princess was doing something similar from her balcony. She hadn't seen Mickey since the New Year's festival and was wondering if she'd ever see him again. But she wouldn't let herself succumb to tears and paranoia. She meant what she said about fixing things for her kingdom, and being burdened by heartbreak wouldn't fix a single thing. There needed to be a balancing act between her love for Mickey and her love for her kingdom. She wasn't sure how to do it but it had to be done.

For all these mature thoughts, she still emitted a tiny squeak of joy when she spotted that familiar orange figure in her marsh gardens. Relief flowed through her as she began to descend from the outside stairs, holding part of her nightgown in one hand. She caught a quick glance at his face, and Mickey appeared to be equally consoled – no doubt he'd been thinking that she wouldn't have wanted to see him. He was keeping himself planted, not moving until she came to him.

Minnie planned to say a great number of things to him in a calm and collected manner, but her body had other plans. She found herself sprinting towards him, all but throwing himself into his arms, holding onto him as if he'd slip away if she loosened up for a second. “Oh, Mickey!”

Mickey's grip was equally tight as his arms went around her, his body hunching over in a mix of regret and satisfaction. “Minnie! I'm so sorry! I'm so, so, so sorry! I shouldn't have gone so nuts, I shouldn't have invited you, I shouldn't have put you in danger like that!” He too had wanted to sound more articulate in his words, but his desperate need for forgiveness outweighed that. “I put everyone in my kingdom at risk, but never again, never ever!”

Minnie kissed his cheek tenderly, offering a gentle nuzzle afterwards. “I know you didn't mean it,” she replied gently, “and I know I was part of the blame too. I wasn't thinking straight. All I cared about was you.” She pulled back, expecting to see pain on his face, but surprisingly he appeared to be calm and collected about this admission.

“Me too. And it can't stay like that. I love you more than the moon and the sun and everything else in the whole wide world, but...” He began running his fingers through her undone white hair, careful not to create any knots. “A relationship that hurts people, that's not a good relationship at all. You've gotta be Queen someday, and I've gotta be King. Queens and Kings are supposed to work for the good of their people. So...I think it's time we came clean to everyone.”

Minnie had been leaning her head towards his touch, her hand running up and down his arm. But her eyes widened when he said his idea. “You mean – you mean tell everyone about us?”

Mickey nodded, cupping Minnie's cheek. “Maybe not everyone at the exact same time. That'd probably cause a little bit of trouble.” He offered a joking smile, but it didn't land, so he went on. “We gotta start somewhere. I'm going to tell my Pa, and I think you should tell your Ma.”

The princess knew that his words rang true, but fear ran through her anyway. She pulled back, turning her face away and gripping her hands close to her chest. “Oh, I-I'm not sure if I can, Mickey. She's already so disappointed in me already. Once she learns I've been with a Sun – the Prince of the Suns, of all things! - she'll hate me forever.”

“Aw c'mon, no good parent could ever hate their kid.” Mickey touched her shoulders from behind, pulling her back a bit. “I bet your Ma loves you a whole bunch. How else could she raise such a sweet girl?” Minnie touched his fingers but didn't reply, her eyes still downcast. The prince sighed, kissing her hair and resting his chin atop her head. “I know it's not easy, Minnie. We've done a lot of dumb things, and hurt a lot of people. Not everyone's gunna accept us right away, and I can't blame 'em. But we have to try, at least, don't you think?”

Every word was correct and Minnie kept quiet for a moment longer. Bugs chirped their mating calls in the grass and Mickey's heartbeat could be felt on her back. Everything seemed so simple when they had met here for their first secret rendezvous. Their love had felt like a fairy tale that was sure to have a happily ever after, and it was easy to skip past the pages where people would obviously object. She wished she could go back in time and warn herself of the dangers of such a selfish love. They had gone about this relationship in the wrong way, but it wasn't too late to repair the damage.

“I promise,” Minnie finally said, “I promise I'll tell her. I'll tell her everything.”

Mickey smiled, and then moved Minnie's arms about like when they first danced on her birthday, twirling her around so they could meet again. “Tomorrow night, let's meet in the Forbidden Forest. I figure it's where we had our big moment, so...” He trailed off, chuckling quietly. There was hardly any need to remind her what had happened that day, and to him it seemed fitting they celebrate their victories – or discuss their failures – in the same place where they confessed their love.

Minnie held up her necklace and Mickey knew what to do. They placed their hands on it, and Mickey repeated himself, leaning in so his nose could brush hers. “I promise to tell my old man about us, and meet you in the Forbidden Forest tomorrow night. And I promise no matter what he says, what your mother says, what anyone says, I will always love you.”

“I promise to tell my mother about us, to meet you in the Forbidden Forest tomorrow night, and to love you forever and ever, until the sun burns out and the moon falls from the sky.” Though many matters still pounded in Minnie's head, Mickey's faith and trust kept a smile on her face. Somehow he always made things better. “Mickey, I really want to believe that – that we can have a future together.”

“I believe it,” Mickey said proudly, dropping the necklace. “We'll find a way, I know it! Because I don't know what to do without you anymore!” Laughing merrily, he scooped Minnie up into his arms, as she began to giggle. “I'll talk to every single member of both kingdoms if I have to! I'll beg on my knees!”

“Mickey, you wouldn't!” Minnie laughed, kicking her feet about. “Put me down! This is supposed to be serious!”

“I am serious, I'm serious about you, and about everyone!” Mickey spun around, but the extra weight in his arms kept him off-balance and he wound up falling onto his back. He didn't care how wet his clothes were getting, and he kissed Minnie's lips when she came close enough. “We're going to change people's minds, you and I!”

“We will try,” Minnie reminded him as she adoringly stroked his face, gazing deep into his eyes. She saw her reflection, and for once she enjoyed the sight of herself. This might be a woman to be proud of. “And it won't be easy. And it might take a while. And no matter what we say, there will always be people who hate each other.”

“But we will keep trying.” Mickey linked his hand with hers, sighing happily at the touch. “And never give up. I don't even think I know how to.”

“No, I don't think you do,” Minnie teased, and she kissed him, and they kissed back and forth over and over, declaring their love while also admitting the hardships of it. It's possible they were drowning in their love to avoid thinking about the difficulties they were about to face, and it was equally possible they had such faith in their love that they knew those difficulties wouldn't break it. Either way, they were so wrapped up in each other's affections they never saw the extra figure in the balcony's shadow - the one that had been waiting there for hours to discover the source of the strange noises Scrooge had complained about days before.

The figure checked one of his many pocket-watches, noting the time with a smirk. He'd gotten the last piece of his chessboard and it was time to launch the next stage of the attack. He made silent footsteps as he left the gardens, making muddy footsteps no one would bother to inspect. 

“I love you, Mickey.”

“I love you, Minnie.”

~*~

When Queen Lune woke up hours later, her headache was ten times worse than before. She groaned as her eyes began to open, the world around her blurry for now. It was taking just as long to recognize the voices around.

“Did we really need to tie her up?”

“Who's the brains of this operation? If I say to jump, you ask how high! Though you'd probably start an earthquake. Now start on her legs – tch!” An annoyed grunt, followed by foot tapping. “Now she's up. Guess we have to start things off a little early. Well, as always, I'm prepared for everything. My assistants should be arriving soon.”

At the same time the queen put the voice to a memory, her eyes cleared up, and there was no doubt about it – there stood Sir Mortimer Rodawn, standing in front of her in her royal bedchambers. If that wasn't enough to fully awaken her, the next sight did. Her staff lay on the floor, and the Moon Talisman was securely held in Mortimer's hand.

“Return that at once!” she commanded as loudly as she could, launching herself forward to grab it – and learned right away that her arms had been tied behind her back, causing her to fall face first onto the marble floor. 

Mortimer chuckled darkly, crossing his arms as he spoke with amusement. “Now, now, Your Highness, there's no need to grovel before me just yet! Pete, help our lady back to her feet.”

“Pete?” Queen Lune repeated in disbelief, before the castle guard grabbed her and lifted her onto her feet. She whipped her head back to see him, her glasses now dented at an angle. “How – how could you?!”

Pete didn't want to answer, and to his temporary comfort he didn't have to. Mortimer roughly grabbed the Queen by the chin, forcing her to look back to him. “Don't you go ignoring me. It's so rude to do that to your future son-in-law.”

Lune struggled in her restraints, but Pete's grip and the tight rope wouldn't allow her any leeway. She could only slip out of Mortimer's fingers. “You're mad if you think I'll ever let you marry my daughter! If you even lay a finger on her, I'll have you executed on the spot!”

Mortimer laughed even harder, needing to hold his stomach. “And she thinks she's still in charge! Isn't that rich! I'll be sure to write that in your part of the history books, Queenie, that you had a great sense of humor. See, your fancy little tiara doesn't make you the most powerful person in the kingdom. This does.” He held up the Moon Talisman, even tossing it up and down twice to show that he had no fear of losing it. “The legendary talisman is all mine, and that means this entire kingdom will be on its knees.”

Still the Queen struggled, even if it meant dislocating a limb. “Mortimer, you don't understand! I must have that back! The morning ritual must be completed, or the streams in our kingdom will be out of control!” When even this didn't earn her freedom, she looked back to Pete, her breathing becoming erratic. “ _I trusted you!_ ”

Pete staggered, but he didn't let her go. He could no longer look her in the eyes, so while he spoke to her, he stared at Mortimer, begging to the Rabbit that he'd done the right thing in the end. “H-He won't let that happen! He's using it for something else!”

“For once, our fat friend is right,” Mortimer mused, checking on the doorway. His special servants hadn't arrived yet, but he supposed there was no harm in telling the Queen his master plan. She wouldn't be in a place to stop him soon enough. “Besides, I know the real reason you do this ritual. Even if our waters ran rampant, Moons would still be able to protect themselves. No, you do it for an entirely different reason.” He began to lean forward, making her lean back in response. “For reasons that I, even with my vast intelligence, can't fathom...you do it so the water doesn't flood into the Sun Kingdom.”

A wave of horror struck the Queen so hard in the gut that it was a wonder she didn't fall over. “By the Rabbit,” she whispered, beginning to tremble at the sheer idea of what he was implying. He couldn't really mean it – she couldn't have let such a madman in her castle and near her daughter. “You can't possibly be thinking – you would murder thousands! That's genocide!”

“Well sure, if you put it that way, it may seem a tad unpleasant,” Mortimer merely shrugged off her disgust, as if was a speck of dust and nothing more. “I see it as getting rid of a problem that's been there since the Moon Kingdom was first founded. In one fell swoop, I will end the war for good, and become the greatest hero history has ever seen! I'll be remembered for centuries! Men will name their sons after me so they can have something to aspire to!”

“You can't do this!” Lune pleaded, despite coming to realize that there would be no talking Mortimer out of this plan. Yet she couldn't let it stand unopposed, and had to fight with whatever weapons were available, even if it was only her words. “There are women and children living there! Think of all the innocents you'll kill!”

“Innocents!” Another roaring laugh escaped Mortimer, all of his pocket-watches shaking with his body. “We've been raised since birth to despise the Suns and now you're calling them innocents? I knew you wouldn't go along with my brilliant idea, but I had no idea how ridiculous you'd be about it!” That's when he heard four knocks, two at a time, the signal he'd been waiting for. “But I'm going to take care of that problem right now. Come on in, gentlemen.”

The door opened and in walked Bankjob Beagle and his brother Big Time, both of them carrying buckets of water. Bankjob quickly closed the door and Lune gaped at these familiar strangers. “Beagles! These petty criminals? What are they doing in my castle?”

“My castle,” Mortimer corrected her, holding up a hand. “And from now on, these will be my personal guardsmen. They'll take care of all the little problems, like anyone who gets in my way. Speaking of which!” He snapped his fingers.

“Bottom's up, Your Highness!” Bankjob announced as he and his brother dumped the water all over the Queen, making her sputter in astonishment.

Once the buckets were empty, Queen Lune shook her head, water dripping from her bangs and glasses. “What now, Mortimer? Is this some sort of foolish humiliation? You will never-” Whatever threat she'd been about to spit out was halted when her body felt colder than the harshest winter's day. She looked down, and saw ice capturing the bottom of her dress, ever so slowly climbing its way up her body. “What – what is – what are you - ”

“Funny story,” Mortimer explained as he lifted his hand up, commanding where the ice should go. “I discovered this ability of mine when I was a little boy. My father was in the tub, but he still demanded I write down the epic tales of his battles. Me? I wanted five minutes to myself, five minutes where I didn't have to hear about all the history I'd never make. I wanted him to shut up for once, and I willed it so hard that my very heart felt cold. And that's when I froze dear old daddy in the tub.” He pretended to lament his woes, casting his head away. “Of course, I told mother dearest I didn't mean to. It was just an accident, and I promised I'd never do it again.” In an instant, all the pretend regret in his face was gone, replaced by glee. “And I kept my word. I never froze anyone in bath tubs again. Poor daddy never could feel his legs again. And my heart has never felt warm since. But I think it's a fair trade.”

The ice had gone past the Queen's legs and was now inching up her stomach. Pete was quick to let go before the ice touched him, but he felt freezing just by looking at her. He didn't think the process would look so agonizing, and regret filled every pore in his body. As for the Queen, she was so cold she could no longer speak, and her breath became haggard and painful. Even the cruel Beagles found discomfort in staring at her paling, blue-lipped face, and they darted their eyes about. Only Mortimer watched from start to finish, enjoying every moment of it.

“Not to worry, this shouldn't kill you. Not for a while, anyway.” Mortimer clapped his hands together, the talisman resting comfortably between his palms. “And I'll let you out once I've married the princess and all the Suns are gone...if you plan on cooperating, that is.”

Though Lune could no longer speak, she managed to get out some sounds before the ice captured her head. “Puh-Puh-Puh-” And then her face was encased in ice, completing the project. Pete was positive she'd been trying to say his name, just when he thought he couldn't feel any worse.

Mortimer clapped again when it was finished. “Excellent work everyone, kudos, really! Now, let's move on. Pete, keep guard on the Queen's chambers and don't let anybody in. Try not to get one of those pesky changes of heart. Or I'll use this fancy Talisman and drown you on the spot.”

Pete's entire body clenched up at once. “What – you – you said you weren't gunna hurt any Moons!”

“I lied, _obviously_. Catch up, will you?” Mortimer sighed, shaking his head as he made for the door. “Don't worry, I'll make you sound much smarter in the history books.” Waving a dismissive hand, he left with the Beagles - who suddenly very grew concerned over Ma Beagle and all the other Beagles.

The castle guard stood there for some time, taking in what he'd become part of. He didn't know if the Queen could hear him, but he still mumbled a useless “I'm sorry,” before taking his place outside the door.

But the Queen could hear, and more importantly she could think. She thought about how badly she misjudged Mortimer Rodawn, how she allowed such evil around her loved ones, and for the longest time, she wondered that maybe if she'd just told Pete what he'd done for her, if any of this could've been prevented. But the one thing she couldn't do was weep.

~*~

It was early morning and Mickey wanted to get a head start on things. The moment he was awake, he didn't wait for Goofy or Horace to show up before bolting to his father's bedroom. Once inside, he inhaled deeply, and stood tall. “Pa, are you awake?”

The old man in the bed exhaled just as deeply. “Death is at my side, dear son.”

“Aw, geez.” Mickey slapped a hand over his eyes. Of all times for his father to pull his silly death worries! “Can death, uh, move over a bit? I have something really important to say.”

“It would give me great pleasure to have my son's voice be the last thing I hear.”

The prince rolled his eyes, speculating if the Phoenix was punishing him for putting this talk on hold for so long. “I mean it!” He walked over to his father's beside, and tugged on the bedsheets. “I really need you to listen and I really need us to discuss it, so I really need you to knock this off!”

King Solaris turned his head towards his son, grunting. “Is this how you treat a dying man?”

“No, this is how I'm treating you,” Mickey huffed, and then he yanked harder on the bedsheets before pulling back. They would go in circles at this point, so he decided to get right to the point and hope for the best. “I'm in love with Princess Minerva of the Moon Kingdom and I've been seeing her in secret for months!” He waited for a gasp, a slap upside the head, roaring and yelling and bellyaching. 

He got none of that. Solaris' eyes did widen, but he took his time sitting up in bed with his hands on his lap. “Is this true?”

Mickey balked at the quiet reaction and the question. “It'd be a pretty weird thing to lie about!” He put his hands on his hips, suspicious. “Aren't you mad?”

“Well, it's a little hard to be much madder than I was when you nearly killed your people at the New Year's Festival.”

“Oh. Right.”

An awkward silence followed with neither side entirely sure how to proceed. Both had been expecting it for some time, but that didn't mean they'd prepared for it. It was the king who took the first step, pushing himself off the bed. “Tell me all. Every last detail, down to when it first started.” His voice was aged and tired, ready to face the troubles his son had been hiding. He supposed if this news didn't kill him, nothing could.

This part of the plan was what Mickey had thought out point by point. He told his father of his sudden, new feelings when he first laid eyes on the princess, of the desperate longing he'd endured once the part was over, and of the determination he had to win her over and see her smile. Yet as he spoke of the hidden meetings and giggling getaways, he made sure to point out his own faults. He neglected Goofy's well-being, put himself and Minnie in considerable danger more than once, and looked away from his problems instead of facing them head on. 

Mickey made sure to emphasize one point all throughout – that even if he couldn't see Minnie anymore, that if fate was cruel enough that too many would object, he would never stop loving her. Not even the Phoenix could try and make him.

When he felt he had said enough, the prince knelt before his father. “I don't know what to do from here on out,” he admitted, his head low out of respect. “And I can't do this alone. I want to bring our kingdoms together and end all the bad blood between us. I don't have the power to do it. As your prince, I ask for your forgiveness. As your son, I'm asking for your help.” He didn't dare look up.

The King stroked his beard, eyes boring into his son's head. “As your king, I can't forgive you so easily. Just because you've admitted all your faults doesn't mean they can be ignored or redeemed. Your people will feel betrayed by your actions. It may be some time before they can respect you again.”

Though Mickey knew he deserved these words and much harsher ones, they stung harshly. He bit his bottom lip but said nothing, staying in the same position.

Solaris then slowly got on his knees, and touched Mickey's shoulders. “As your father...I want you to be happy. And if that girl makes you happy, I want to meet her.” He then held his son, silently thanking him. The war over for good, because his son had loved the impossible? Could such peace be in their grasp? Solaris thought of Wilbur, of the fallen soldiers, and the idea that none would ever fall again. He could cry.

Mickey was so surprised by this that it didn't occur to him right away that his father was hugging him. But he returned the embrace, biting down on his lip so he wouldn't smile too hard. “Pa...Father! I'll work really hard to become a prince you can be proud of. I'll never give up!”

“I know. You got that from your mother. She never did learn when to quit.” He prayed that she was watching over the two of them, and leading her son toward the correct path.

Mickey prayed that Minnie's talk with her mother would end in the same way – with love, understanding, and hugs. How could it not?

~*~

At the same time, Daisy was doing Minnie's hair while the princess confessed what she was to do. Daisy was delighted and demanded to be there to witness the “big moment”. But first things first, the morning ritual had to be completed. Once her dress was fitted, her make-up applied, and her hair dolled up, she and Daisy headed toward the balcony on the opposite end of the castle. However, instead of seeing her mother waiting for her, Mortimer was on the balcony, making similar motions to the morning ritual.

At first the girls thought nothing of it, and when he saw them, they curtsied. “Good morning, Sir Mortimer,” Minnie greeted kindly. “I hope you don't mind me waiting here for my mother.”

“Oh, I wouldn't bother.” Mortimer fully turned around, bowing back in return. “Your mother hasn't been feeling well, so I thought I'd do her work for her.” He leaned on the balcony's edge, glimpsing at the people below. “Isn't this a sight? You can see our entire kingdom from here. I love this view.”

Daisy snorted at the use of the word “our”, but Minnie's lips pinched, wondering if Mortimer really could do the whole ritual by himself. She had thought he was merely practicing it, perhaps trying to prepare himself for a day he and Minnie would do it together. _A day that will never come,_ Minnie thought. “Oh, well. I need to speak to her right away, so, if you'll excuse me.”

“Such a rush!” Mortimer chuckled, searching for something in his long coat. “Leaving my company so soon? I'm heartbroken. But I see you're in that sort of mood today. You're so eager to break your mother's heart about seeing that filthy Sun mongrel.”

Minnie had been in mid-cursty as Mortimer spoke, but she stopped so suddenly when he spoke that her back ached. She tentatively rose back into place, at first telling herself she must've heard wrong. “Pardon me?”

Mortimer's eyes slid over her as if she was covered in filth. “I'm not going to lie, princess, it's hard to look at you. The fact that you'd let a Sun touch you makes my skin crawl. You'll probably need to bathe one hundred times in a row before I can even think of kissing you on our wedding day. I mean, how do your lips look so clean after kissing that beastly Prince so much?” He even waved a hand in front of his nose like he could smell the stench on her.

Minnie's breath quickened, and she fell back with Daisy to catch her. Daisy held her tight, glaring daggers at Mortimer. “Listen, whatever you think you know, it doesn't matter! Your days of living here are done. We're going to the Queen. Her opinion matters most, while yours is worth mud!”

“Is that so?” Mortimer found what he'd been “looking” for, and pulled out the Moon Talisman, holding it tight in his hand. “Then why did she hand this over to me this morning?”

Minnie covered her mouth with her gloved hands, feeling the world around her crumble and give way. “M-Mother gave you that? But why?”

“She would never hand that over!” Daisy countered, holding Minnie so close like she was a shield to protect her.

“And yet, it's in my hands,” Mortimer replied casually, sitting on the balcony's edge. He was enjoying the panic-stricken look on his bride-to-be's face. It was the least she deserved after loving a Sun. “She's getting on in years and since her little girl is getting married soon, she figured she might as well skip the wait and hand over the power to me. So, how about an apology for your future king?”

In the next instant, Minnie lost her mind to hysteria. She shoved Daisy off, and after grabbing her dress, she jolted down the hallway, racing to get to her mother's bedchambers. How could things wind up so awful before anything began? It wasn't possible, it couldn't be reality. Not after the faith she and Mickey put in their love, things couldn't end this way!

Pete hadn't gotten much sleep that night, which was why he was slow to react when the princess zoomed in his vision like a comet. She latched onto the doorknob, only to find it locked. Pete came back to his senses, and pressed his back to the door. “Uh, hold on there, princess! The Queen's not feeling well-”

“Mother!” Minnie ignored him, now pounding her fists on the door. “Mother, please! I need to talk to you! Mother, answer me!” No matter how hard she hit the door, there would be no reply, though the Queen could hear her daughter's anguish loud and clear.

Daisy jogged to catch up with Minnie, and joined her in begging at the door, pleading that this was an urgent matter. Mortimer smoothly walked up to them, tsking at their effort. “Must you torture our dear Queen so? She's already tormented by the idea of her daughter in an affair with a Sun. Although she admitted it wasn't a huge surprise.”

Minnie's hands lay flat on the door, afraid to look at Mortimer yet also shocked to hear what he had to say. “What - what do you mean?”

Mortimer sighed heavily, a hand on his heart. “You know better than all of us how much of a disappointment you are to her.” As he laced his perfectly sharpened words, Minnie ever so slowly looked at him, tears beginning to form. “No matter how hard she tries, you're just not the daughter she'd hoped for. So what's one more failure to her? No wonder she gave me the Talisman. It's not like she could trust you with it.”

“ _Shut up!_ ” Daisy screeched, ready to deck Mortimer a new one if Pete hadn't held her back. “That's not true! Queen Lune loves Minnie!”

“Does she?” Mortimer questioned, his eyes meeting Minnie's. “A daughter knows her mother all too well. She's never said she loved you, has she? How can she say what she doesn't feel?”

Within the bedchambers, Queen Lune was screaming in her mind since she couldn't use her voice. Of course she loved her daughter, how could there be any doubt? All she did was for Minnie's protection, happiness, and future. She never needed to say it because it was so obvious! Didn't Minnie already know that? Didn't Minnie already understand how important she was?

But to Queen Lune's complete and utter dread, she heard her daughter speak, “I-I know she doesn't care, but...but I thought if I could just explain things...” She choked a sob, imagining her mother's frigid glare and the cutting words of her disdain. She pressed her forehead to the door as tears rolled down her cheeks. “Mother, please...please just talk to me... just say I can try harder...”

Daisy hung her head at the continuing stillness, and Pete felt his body become ten times heavier for his involvement. Once again, Minnie made a crying plea, “Mother, please!” and once again the Queen screamed to the heavens how she loved her daughter, and once again neither side could truly communicate.

“I'm sure she'll feel up to talking once the wedding's over,” Mortimer remained the only cheerful person in the vicinity, gesturing for Pete to move the girls from the doors. “I think three days should be plenty of time for everything to get ready.”

Though Minnie was defeated, Daisy spat hellfire, kicking back at Pete so he'd let her go. “The Queen can't force her to marry you!”

“No need, I can do that all on my own.” Mortimer knelt down on one knee so he was eye level with the crying princess. “You know how powerful the Moon Talisman is, my dear. But I can be a reasonable man. We can make a deal and smooth things over. In three days, you will marry me.” He held up the talisman, making it impossible for Minnie to ignore its presence. “Or I will drown every single last Sun in their kingdom, including your precious little prince.”

Daisy gasped, and Minnie fell on her tail, trying to back away with her hands. It was like being face to face with a monster from storybooks. “N-No! You can't! Please, don't hurt them!”

Pete was momentarily confused about the “or” option – until he remembered. _“I lied, obviously. Catch up, will you?”_ Mortimer wasn't going to keep his word to anyone, which made Pete's fear grow to new heights. If Mortimer didn't care about anyone but himself, where did that put Pete in his future plans? Had he signed away his life for nothing?

“You monster!” Daisy screamed, her own tears beginning to blur her vision. She'd never felt so helpless in her entire life, and she looked at the door, mentally begging the Queen to stop this madness. Was the Queen so cruel that she cared about nothing and no one?

The princess was on her knees, prostrating herself before Mortimer, throwing away whatever dignity she had left to save the life of others. “I'll do anything you want! I give you my word! Just don't kill them! Please!”

Mortimer fingered the Talisman, trying not to vomit at the sight of his future wife crying over the deaths of worthless worms. He'd have to carefully write this part in history so his bride didn't look so nauseating. He might omit Daisy altogether, since she was so worthless. “That's a good girl. And don't worry, I'm sure in time, you'll fall in love with me.” When he moved to touch her hair, Minnie visibly flinched and drew back as if she'd be burnt. He scoffed, standing back up. “At least that's what history will say. Pete, escort them back to her room. They have a lot of preparation to do.”

Words felt heavy on Pete's tongue, so he said nothing as he grabbed the girls by their arms and all but dragged them back to Minnie's room. Minnie continued shouting for her mother, for any sign that this could be stopped, but the hallways echoed her lament with nothing more to add.

The despair in Queen's Lune heart was only matched by her hatred of Mortimer, and the hatred for herself by allowing her daughter to think there was no love for her. She had never understood the power of words, and assumptions would now doom both kingdoms. She begged her late husband's forgiveness, and she too heard no one reply.

~*~

That night, Mickey was a little late when he got to the Forbidden Forest. He'd thought about bringing Minnie a gift to celebrate the occasion, thought about wearing something fancier, and even considered bringing along his mother's wedding ring to cement things for good. In the end, he decided words were all Minnie ever asked of him so for now he'd give her just that. As he walked through the grass, he could see the carvings he and Minnie had made many times before. He smiled as he saw Minnie's attempt at cursive before she'd given up.

This place was full of wonderful memories, and he was certain another one would happen here. His father's approval wouldn't fix absolutely everything, but it had been a starting point, and they could plan things from there. If Minnie's mother had agreed so smoothly, perhaps they could arrange a meeting between their parents to officially discuss their futures. Maybe they'd even insist their kids get married as part of a peace treaty. Mickey chuckled to himself at the idea, and he knew Minnie would blush and girlishly titter at the prospect.

As he saw his beloved white maiden waiting under a particularly short tree, he ran to her, arms out and ready for a cool hug. “Minnie, you won't believe it! My old man wants to meet you! At first he was doing his whole 'dying' shtick, but then...” he trailed off as he came closer and noticed two things. First, instead of jumping into his arms, Minnie was backing up and bracing herself. Second, Minnie's eyes were red and pained. Mickey skidded to a halt, getting dirt in his sandals. “M-Minnie, have you been crying? What happened? What did your mother say?”

He reached out to touch her, but again, Minnie backed away. She was wearing an extra tight corset for this confrontation in order to keep herself from shaking or backing down. Mortimer had allowed this one last chance of freedom, so she had to make it count. “My mother and I had a very long discussion,” she began, her voice low and even. “And she helped me come to understand many things about you and me.”

Mickey scratched his head. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

Minnie's hands held onto her necklace so tightly she could feel it cut into her skin. She hadn't bothered to change into her nightgown, take off her make-up or even let her hair loose. This had to come across as professional and real in every sense. “The Sun and the Moon Kingdoms can never become one. There is far too much hate and bloodshed in our history to change anything. Two young lovers can't step over thousands of lost lives as if it didn't matter.”

The prince blinked rapidly, the words not coming together in his head right away. Despite knowing failure was a possibility, actually being confronted with it was unexpected. It was like the chances of being struck by lightning – one knew it was possible, but they never believed it'd happen to them. As a result, he found it a struggle to find his own words. “Well, I, uh, I know that! Of course it won't be easy! I mean, we talked it over, we've got a lot to work on. But my old man wants to meet you! We can start there!”

“I won't be meeting your father, or you, ever again. Do you understand?” The words felt like glass in her mouth, yet she was able to get them out with precision, having practiced in front of her mirror for what felt like infinity. “I can't put my desires over my people. I need to focus on them instead of on you. We're young. We'll move on. We'll get over this.”

Mickey's mouth formed to make a “what” sound, but he sputtered instead, trying to process what was going on. The wind began to pick up around them, making his robes and her dress brush by each other. “M-Minnie, what are you...hang on, what happened? What did I do?” Again he reached for her, again she backed away until her back hit the tree. “Just talk to me, Minnie, tell me what's going on!”

“I already told you!” Minnie shut her eyes, as if blocking him out would make this excruciating ordeal any easier. Much like her captured mother, there were screams going on in her mind that wouldn't be heard. “It's over! Our kingdoms were never meant to work together! There are too many differences between us! You need to see that!”

“No, I can't!” Mickey's fear and anger swirled together in his chest, trying to find the solution in a problem that made no sense. “How can we know anything unless we try? How can you give up like this? Tell me what's really going on! I'm not leaving until you explain!” He blocked one of her sides by putting his palm on the tree.

“I don't have to explain anything to you!” If only the ground would open up and swallow her whole, if only she could wake up and find nothing had happened, if only the Rabbit was real and would save everyone. But there couldn't have been a Rabbit, no loving god would have allowed all this sadness to happen. “I've already made up my mind! There's nothing you can say to change it!”

Of course he wouldn't give up, she knew that, but it only made things so much worse. “What about our promises, Minnie?” Mickey tried again, beating his chest with one hand. “We're going to fix the kingdoms, we're going to fix everything! We promised we would! We promised we would talk to our parents! We promised to love each other forever!”

“Promises?” In that one word, Minnie knew what to do to silence Mickey for good, and she prayed for death to take her first. She yanked on her sun and moon necklace - the one he'd chosen for her birthday, the sacred jewelry she'd never taken off since - so hard that the chain snapped, slicing uneven cuts around her neck.

Mickey pulled back in alarm, watching hints of blood appears on Minnie's white fur. “Minnie?! What are you doing?!” She wasn't, she couldn't, this couldn't be happening - 

Only now did tears well up in the princess' eyes, but it was too late for them to have an effect on anything. “This is – this is-” She raised the necklace far above her head, and it glinted in the moonlight, casting a spotlight on the tragedy's final act.

“Minnie, _don't!_ ”

“This is – _this is what I think of your promises!_ ” With all the strength she could muster in one arm, she slammed the necklace into the tree, shattering it instantly. That was when time stopped for the Sun Prince, able to see each and every single colorful shard fall down into the grass, seeing memories of their time together reflected back at him – seeing them all mean nothing in the end. He didn't know when he'd fallen to his knees, his hands out to catch the pieces though they'd long since fallen.

“And if you ever come to my kingdom again,” Minnie began to walk backwards, wanting to get away from this dismaying scene before it ripped her in two, “I-I'll have you thrown in the dungeons!” Unable to take any more, she fled into the night, hot tears scalding her face. All wounds would heal in time and scab over, but she felt this would bleed eternal. Yet it had to be done. She couldn't risk the man she loved most.

It had to be done. It had to be done. _It had to be done._

Mickey didn't hear her last words, nor her hurting sobs as she ran further and further away. He listlessly went through the grass to find all of the shards, even though he knew it was well beyond repair now. He'd been truthful to his father. He still loved Minnie. He always would.

Which meant he would always have to live with these shattered remains.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always, big thanks to my editors Drucilla and BlueShifted After all the hard work they've put in, I figured they deserved a (not subtle at all) shout out.
> 
> When writing Daisy's chase scene I had the 'song' Chaser from Paprika on repeat. If you listen to it as you read, you'll probably understand why. We're getting closer to the big finale!

It was the morning of the third day since the world had changed for both Mickey and Minnie. In the Moon Kingdom, everyone was getting new dresses and speaking in questioning gossip about the upcoming wedding. Many were worried about the Queen's sudden illness that had prevented her from leaving her room and not allowing anyone to enter, save for her future son-in-law. Though the Moon Kingdom treasured silence, everyone couldn't help but chat endlessly about all these odd happenings.

As for the Sun Kingdom, life was as normal as it ever was. The fact that Mickey hadn't run from his lessons was seen as him taking his studies more seriously, or perhaps feeling under the weather. Either way, it was of no grave concern for the Suns and they went about their day in peace and happiness. The same couldn't be said of those who lived inside the Sun palace.

It was breakfast, but while under normal circumstances Goofy, Solaris, and Mickey would devour their meal quickly to go about their day, today it was agonizingly slow. The trio were seated around a circular wooden table while Horace waited in the hallway, as lessons were supposed to start after the meals were finished. Solaris and Goofy had already taken big bites out of their rice and meat, but they'd stopped when they saw, yet again, Mickey hadn't even lifted his hand, much less eaten anything. He wouldn't even look at his meal – his blank stare didn't appear to be aimed at anyone or anything. He resembled a child's poor attempt at making their first doll, listless and deprived of life.

Mickey hadn't eaten anything since he last saw Minnie, nor had he spoken a single word. These days he moved from place to place only by another's orders, carrying himself sluggishly as if invisible chains were wrapped around him. As a result of his lack of activity and meals, his dull eyes had become sunken in, his typically bright orange fur had begun to thin, and a rib or two seemed to poke out from his chest.

“C'mon, Mickey,” Goofy quietly pleaded, picking up a piece of bread. “You gotta eat somethin'! You're gunna waste away to nothin'!” He offered the bread to Mickey, who did nothing and said nothing. The bodyguard got so desperate he began to poke Mickey's cheek with the bread, and still got no response. He was tempted to physically force Mickey's mouth open and shove it in. Goofy glanced at the king to see if he could get permission.

Solaris sighed heavily, putting his elbows on the table so he could rub his face with his hands. He didn't need Mickey's words to guess what happened, but he sure would have liked the details. But the way Mickey had talked of his great, unyielding love for Princess Minerva, the king would've thought she felt just as strongly as he did. So what had happened to drive them apart? “I know this is a difficult time for you, my son,” he said, raising his head. “But you are a prince before you are a broken-hearted boy. If you truly want peace with the Moon Kingdom, if you truly want us to make an attempt at peace with them, I need your cooperation. You're a symbol for the future and everyone needs to see you working for this.”

Not even a flinch or a nod of acknowledgment. Goofy let out a sad whine and rubbed Mickey between the ears. “Aw gee. It's like he can't even hear us. Or doesn't want to, maybe.” He tried to test Mickey again, pinching his ear, but not even that got a reaction. “Shoot, he's like a blown out candle. I dunno what to do!”

“It can't be helped, I suppose.” Solaris closed his eyes momentarily. “Any further attempts at reconciling with the Moon Kingdom will have to be put on hold until he recovers. If he recovers.” He didn't want to believe that Mickey would never heal, but Mickey felt everything very deeply. When he was happy, he was ecstatic, when he was angry, he was a flamed menace - so when he had truly and deeply become devastated, there was a good chance he'd fallen into a hole he couldn't climb out of. As King, Solaris was disappointed that things had to stop here. As a father, Solaris felt utterly helpless and a failure that couldn't sink any further. “Perhaps our kingdoms were truly never meant to know unity.”

“Please reconsider, Your Highness!”

Solaris blinked rapidly and looked at the source of the outburst – Horace had come into the room, fists clenched at his chest. His cheeks were burning, and his resolve was on fire. “I may not understand everything that has gone on with Prince Michael but – but – but if you were seriously considering peace with the Moon Kingdom, you must move forward!”

Both Solaris and Goofy were so stunned by these words they hadn't noticed Mickey ever so slightly turning his head toward this conversation. Goofy sat up straight, eating the bread in his hand as he talked. “Whaddya mean, Horace? I thought you hated the Moons.”

Horace could feel himself shaking, but he kept talking, keeping his head respectfully bowed toward the king. “That's what I thought too. But I was wrong, and I believe everyone who thinks they hate the Moons is wrong too! Hate is such a powerful, hurtful emotion, but how we can possibly hold it towards an entire population? Can we actually say we hate the Moon children? The Moon Princess? The Moons who never entered into battle? The truth is...” His heart beat wildly, but he could see Clarabelle standing by his side, cheering him on, wanting to hear everything he had to say. “The truth is that there's no real difference between the Sun kingdom and the Moon kingdom! Because if we really hate anyone who's different from us, than we should all hate everyone!”

Solaris leaned his knuckles against his lips in contemplation. He'd been so focused on his son's efforts that he had failed to notice everyone else's. He looked at Mickey, then Goofy, and then Horace – did he really only have one person he could call his son? “You are my son's tutor, Horace, but you have no true authority or power outside of this castle.”

“I know. And that's exactly why I must ask for you to keep trying.” Horace gulped, and then lowered himself to one knee. “Our kingdom deserves a chance for true peace. To no longer fear the dangers of another war for the rest of our days, to finally heal the wounds from times gone by. I ask you this not only for your people, but also for the Moons. On everyone's behalf, I ask you – I beg you!” He clenched his eyes shut, unsure of how much longer he could keep up this insubordination. “Please take that first step forward and end the war once and for all!”

Horace expected silence to follow, but Goofy wasn't one for long thoughts. The bodyguard began applauding while licking crumbs off of his lips. “Well, if Horace says it, it's gotta be true, ain't it?” He smiled, looking back and forth between Solaris and Mickey – who, as Goofy noticed, had some color return to his eyes. “He is the smartest fella in the kingdom after all. Bet he even prepared that speech all night long and everything!”

Actually, Horace had made the whole thing up off the top of his head, but he took the compliment anyway. “It's thanks to Prince Michael that I've been able to look at things another way. Even if he didn't mean to do it. But I owe him a great debt, and if this is how I can repay it, it will make me happy beyond words.” If it hadn't been for Mickey's rampant chasing games, Horace never would have met Clarabelle. Just as importantly, he would have never set foot in the Moon Kingdom and learned of its beauty. There was no reason to hold back anymore. “Thank you...Mickey.”

Mickey again said nothing – and still wouldn't for about five more hours, thirty-seven minutes, and sixteen seconds. But when his stomach rumbled, he wordlessly scooped up a handful of rice and began to nibble.

Solaris smiled and pushed himself out of his seat. “I believe my son has the right idea again. We'll discuss negotiations and unity and all the good stuff when all of our bellies are full. And I do mean all of us. Take a seat, Horace.”

Horace did, but only after Goofy hugged him so powerfully he actually lifted the startled tutor up a few inches off the ground. He rolled his eyes but didn't complain. He could only hope Clarabelle approved of his unusual family, since one day she could become a part of it. So as he sat down to eat with them, he spoke to them of Clarabelle, of the Moon kingdom's people, and of its amazing running water.

They'd see all three of them later that day.

~*~

It's said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and on that day that statement was truer nowhere as it was within the princess's bedchambers. To an outsidet looking in, Minnie looked breathtakingly beautiful in her wedding dress. Mortimer had wanted to show her off like a prized possession, so he spared no expense when it came to the dress, the veil, and the jewels that adorned her flowing white hair. While most Moon brides wore white on their wedding, the already white royal brides were dressed in deep, rich blues akin to the furthest depths of the ocean. It suited the hair decorations she wore, styled after sea shells, and the sea glass bracelets clinking together on her wrists. Even her bouquet had been picked to precision, tied intricately with sea foam colored ribbons and smelling like a newly washed beach.

But when Minnie saw her reflection in her large vanity mirror, she saw an ugly ogre wearing chains and locks. She had long since stopped crying over her fate as it hadn't done her any good. Instead she stuck to the facts – this was what was best for everyone in the long run. Eventually she could convince herself that the things she told Mickey were true. She would never love Mortimer, but maybe there was a chance she could get over Mickey. Maybe. Perchance. Possibly.

Her body began to betray these thoughts immediately as yet again she reached to touch the necklace that no longer existed. Her fingers dangled in the air, and her heart ached. But Minnie couldn't afford to cry now. The wedding was in a few hours, and she couldn't ruin her make-up. Just in case, maybe she needed another touch of eyeshadow. She turned to ask Daisy to do so, but instead saw her lady-in-waiting at the balcony, leaning over and trying to get a decent view of the entire kingdom.

“Come on, come on, where are you?” Daisy asked out loud. She'd been given a dress suitable for the Maid Of Honor – though Mortimer had cared so little for this role that Daisy had suspected it'd been worn three times over by others. It didn't matter to her anyway as she had refused to put it on. She was refusing everything about this farce, and her impatience made her tap on the balcony's edge with both hands.

Minnie lifted her veil to get a better look at her best friend. “Daisy? What are you talking about? Who are you waiting for?”

“Prince Mickey, obviously!” Daisy leaned over again, and she would have definitely fallen if she chose to go forward an inch more. “This is the part where he'll ride in and stop the wedding from happening. It's a break from tradition, you're kinda supposed to do it in the middle of the wedding, but right now I'll take anything I can get! Where is that orange fur ball when you need him?”

Minnie's entire body sagged, and she looked down at her bouquet. A petal or two fell onto her dress, but she made no effort to brush it away. “He's not coming, Daisy. I made it very clear to him that-”

“I know what you said!” Daisy whipped around, her balance thrown off for a few seconds. “But this isn't how things are going to end! It can't be!”

“This isn't an ending. We'll both move on. It's time I became a proper Queen and put my people first.” Her grip on the bouquet tightened, sending more petals falling. Mortimer might have been cheap on the flowers too.

“And you think letting that _monster_ become king is what's best?” Daisy began to storm over to her princess, her swinging hands turning into frustrated fists.

Minnie's temper began to rise in turn, and she arched her shoulders. “If I don't go through with this, the Sun people are going to suffer!”

“And you think the Moons won't suffer?” Daisy pointed back to the balcony, trying to make Minnie remember the life outside of the dark castle walls. “Mortimer doesn't care about anyone but himself! But you care too much about what everyone thinks! If you're going to be miserable every single day of your life, you're not going to be in any condition to make good choices for us! You have to care about yourself, Minnie, for once in your life!”

“You think it's that easy?” The tears threatened Minnie's eyes again, but she no longer cared if they fell or not. “You could never understand what I'm going through! Is this how you're going to be for the rest of our lives?”

“My role is to help you, that's why I'm here!” Daisy grabbed Minnie by the shoulders, knocking the bouquet out of her arms completely. “I don't serve the Queen or Mortimer or even Donald! I serve you, and it's my purpose in life to make you become a good Queen!”

“Then you're doing an awful job!” Minnie felt herself split in two, as if the Minnie in the mirror was watching in horror at what horrible words began to come out of this other person's mouth. She tried in vain to stop herself, but now that she was in such pain, she wanted everyone else to feel the same way so they could understand. “You've never tried to help me become a good Queen! You've only wanted to play around and make believe in love and fairy tales! You shouldn't be here! You – you – you are dismissed, _for good!_ ”

Here, Minnie thought she'd reached a point where she couldn't feel any more agony, and yet she'd found a fresh wound. When had it become so easy to say these terrible things to those she held so close in her heart? Daisy's arms slowly slid down Minnie's shoulders and arms, her beak open to speak a defense, but instead all that came out was a shuddering “ah, ah, ah” that turned into a sob. One sob became two, became three, became unstoppable, and Daisy ran out of the room, her palms pressed into her face, wailing loudly and not caring who heard, as was her fashion for all she did.

Maybe Daisy had rubbed off on Minnie more than she knew, for the princess fell to her knees, letting out a cry that echoed throughout the castle, a moan of misery for the lonely life she had trapped herself in. Let everyone hear it for all that she cared, it didn't matter anymore. So little mattered anymore. In exchange for the happiest months of her life, she would now be trapped in sadness for all her days.

Daisy's mind was hardly anything so poetic. Her rampant retching could barely be understood and she didn't even know where she was running to. With her eyes covered, she didn't realize she was heading for the exact same stairway she'd nearly doomed herself on back on her first day, not until she felt gravity shift under her foot.

Yet fate repeated itself here as well as familiar arms reached out and grabbed her, yanking her backwards and holding her close. “Daisy, have you lost your mind? You could have hurt yourself!”

The former servant held her chest tightly, trying to get some kind of breathing routine to work again. She slowly lifted her head to look at Donald, who instantly noticed the disheveled state she was in. “What happened? Why are you crying?” Tears that hard and heavy could only be caused by the actions of another, and his temper was ignited. “Who did this?” His fingers tightened on her arms, unaware that he was causing extra pain.

Daisy had words to explain, but temporarily lacked the ability to speak them. Her “ah, ah, ah” was mixed with “unghs” and “huffs”, before bursting into another warbled wail, burying her head into his chest. If Donald was going to get revenge on whoever hurt her, it'd have to wait, because she clearly wasn't going to stop anytime soon. She wasn't going to quiet down either, and passing servants who were decorating the castle for the blessed event whispered to one another, shaking their heads in disapproval at such a scene. Proper ladies shouldn't cry in such a disgusting way.

Donald knew that's what they were thinking, and maybe once Daisy realized this, she'd cry even harder. He swerved his head towards the onlookers, but gave pause – he'd been trying so hard to fit in that he never thought about the type of people he wanted to fit in with. Did he really care so much about the opinion of people who would look down on a crying girl? Was that the kind of person he wanted to be seen as?

With that in mind, he stopped holding back his anger, and rightfully snapped, “ANY OF YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY TO HER? OR DO YOU WANNA KEEP STARING LIKE FISH IN A TANK, YOU USELESS JERKS?!” His defiant roar was ten times louder than any of Daisy's cries, and it sent everyone within earshot scrambling to escape with their lives. Let them fear him, let them say what they will, but he liked what he said. He even smirked a little as silence hung in the air – only to realize that silence meant Daisy was no longer crying. He looked down at her and found her stunned staring, her mouth closed while tears still dripped. Donald cleared his throat. “You better not find my temper a turn-off, or I'm going to be extra annoyed.”

“N-No, that's, that's not it, that's...” Any heartfelt sentiments would have to be cherished later. “It's Minnie – Princess – Princess Minerva, she, ah, uh, she said I-”

“How about you take a few deep breaths, and then work on sentences?” He pulled back, but only so he could take her hand and lead her along. “Come on, we'll get you cleaned up. And get you something to drink too. Way you've been crying, you're probably dry as a bone on the inside.”

Daisy kept trying to say she no longer worked there, but her mouth refused to agree. Of all the times for Donald to start treating her so nicely! His sense of timing was something they'd have to work on, but she shoved all ideas of dates and relationships aside to focus on her stuttering and stumbling. Donald listened as they walked so he could try to decipher her attempts, but that's when the two of them overheard something much more interesting.

“That's not how you spell drowned, you utter nincompoop!”

Recognizing Mortimer's voice, the two ducks came to a halt in front of Queen Lune's chambers. Pete wasn't guarding the doors, no doubt inside with the future king. As they listened in, they heard additional voices belonging to the Beagle brothers, who had become unwelcome additions to the household.

“Nothing about the job said we had to be your personal secretaries!” That was Bigtime, grumbling as he scratched out the latest spelling errors. “Can't this wait until after you get hitched and the Suns are all gone?”

“History waits for no one, not even my magnificent self.” Mortimer checked one of his many pocket watches, and nodded to see the correct time. “As we speak, seconds of history are passing us by, so we have to make sure everyone knows what happened on this glorious day! Now, let's try this again. I need to get this to my editors as soon as possible.”

“Editors are the best people in the whole wide world,” Bigtime commented, using his ink quill pen to pick out food in his teeth.

“Yes, everyone knows that. Anyway!” Mortimer snapped his fingers, and began to walk around the room. Donald and Daisy could imagine him making grand and ridiculous gestures as he articulated what he wanted to be seen as the truth. “Once Sir Mortimer Rodawn placed the sacred wedding ring on Princess Minerva's finger, the Rabbit blessed this union so strongly that the whole world was cleansed. He gave Sir Mortimer the power to rid the beautiful Moon Kingdom of their worst enemy once and for all. When the wedding was finished and the people basked in their love, they discovered that each and every bloodthirsty Sun had drowned. A joyous party began in their ultimate victory, as-”

“ _You said you'd spare them!_ ”

Mortimer had been so utterly confident in his plans that he hadn't even bothered to lock the door as he dictated his future. This was how Daisy was able to throw open the doors, her misery put on hold as fury took over. Pete, Bankjob, and Bigtime all dropped their pens at the same time as Daisy screeched her righteous indignation. “You said if Minnie married you, you'd spare the Sun Kingdom! You slimeball, you sleazebag, you -you – Your Highness!”

Daisy gasped in horror, and Donald echoed her shock. “She's – what happened to her?!” Queen Lune still stood here in her frozen person, her body thinner and frailer than before. The ice was taking a serious toll on her body, and though her eyes were forcibly open, she was almost unconscious. She was in a fight for her life, and with every passing second she feared she was losing.

Mortimer rubbed his temples, sighing in annoyance. “Haven't you ever heard of knocking? I can't believe someone with such terrible manners was ever allowed to work here in the first place.”

It took Daisy mere seconds to put parts of the puzzle together. “You did this! That's how you got your greasy mitts on the Talisman! I knew the Queen would never allow this, any of this!”

“Daisy,” Donald tried to say her name gently as another important fact dawned on him.

“If you think we'll let you get away with this, you've got another thing coming!”

“Daisy...”

“We're going to tell everyone, and you're out of here for good!”

“Daisy!” The tutor grabbed the lady-in-waiting by the shoulder and rapidly began pointing at the item in Mortimer's other hand – namely, the Moon Talisman. He pointed quickly to each and every single taller man in the room, a total of four heavier bodies that outnumbered two much thinner ones.

She got the hint. “Uh-oh.”

“Actually, this does work out for me rather well.” Mortimer smiled, running his thumb over the Talisman and feeling its many stones and grooves. “I was going to get rid of you once I became an official ruler, but why not take out the trash a little earlier?” He then snapped his fingers, making the other men stand to attention. “I figured you weren't the type to take threats, and you can't blackmail someone who's so stupidly proud of everything they are. So if you like those muddy Suns so much, give them a handshake once you're in the afterlife.”

“Daisy, _run!_ ” Donald was no warrior, and the most fighting he'd done in his life was throwing punches around as a child. But one didn't spend their time teaching without learning anything, and he was going to put that to the test. Every room in the Moon Kingdom had dripping water and the Queen's bedchambers were no exception. He summoned them with all of his anger and will, so when Pete and the Beagles were about to lunge towards their victims, Donald sent the water straight for their feet, causing them to trip into a pile.

Daisy backed up, but couldn't run just yet, the thought of leaving her beloved to deal with all of those things making her legs iron. “But, Donald-!”

“For once in your life, just do what I say!”

She inhaled deeply twice before taking off, but to her sudden fright, she could hear hard footsteps coming up behind her. Donald had only managed to buy several seconds, and was now being held in Pete's very tight and very guilty grasp. The Beagles were free, and judging from Bankjob's insidious grin, he was planning to make up for that missed opportunity in the Sun Kingdom. As Daisy raced through the castle, she didn't even look at the servants they went by – if she begged for help, they'd be under Mortimer's twisted thumb as well. But with that logic, that meant she couldn't put anyone in the kingdom in further danger – so she was all alone with nowhere to go.

This was no time for tears, yet the panic throbbing in her heart couldn't be controlled. Every time she looked behind her, both Beagles seemed to be closer than before. Heels weren't made for running, and for every wobble and shake she felt in her feet, her fear increased, making her run even more haphazardly. She managed to make it to the castle entrance, unknowingly smacking Drake Mallard in the face with the thick doors. By the time the older duck regained anything close to consciousness, the trio had left his sight, making him wonder what he missed.

The Kingdom was full of people but Daisy couldn't go to any of them. She didn't even know where she was running to, where she could go to escape the Beagles. If she found somewhere to hide, Mortimer's threats and influence could turn this into a witch hunt. He wasn't even named king, and yet held more power than any person had any right to. This was the end.

Ultimately even Daisy's clothes gave up on her, as her left high heel snapped from too much abuse. She shrieked and fell, rolling over after she hit the ground. Her leg ached in pain, but she knew in seconds it was going to be the least of her troubles. Bigtime chuckled darkly as he stopped running, pounding a hand into his fist. “Don't take this personal, miss. It's either you or Ma, I figure.”

Bankjob began rubbing his hands together eagerly. “This doesn't have to be a totally bad day!”

Daisy whimpered, and buried her head in her arms. She wished she could see Minnie again – if she had to die, then she'd prefer to give her life to her princess, her best friend, the one who had given her hope and friendship when the world seemed cold and lonely. As she heard the footsteps approach, she tried to curl up in a ball – but those feet didn't belong to Beagles. “Do you mind if I ask you gentlemen something? Have you ever been to Bahia?”

Neither Beagle knew what to make of this question, nor of the green parrot that now stood in front of Daisy. José Carioca turned his black umbrella in his hands, a lit cigar still burning in his beak. When Daisy lifted her head, he winked at her before addressing the criminals again. “No? That's good - because Bahia wouldn't want you anyway.” He spat out his cigar, and then used his umbrella like a bat, smacking the cigar and sending it flying into Bigtime's face. The lit end landed right on Bigtime's nose, making him howl as he clutched his burnt nostrils.

“You're gunna pay for that!” Bankjob growled, pounding his fists forward before charging ahead.

“Then allow me to pay it forward.” That's all Bankjob heard before five claw-like fingernails ripped down his face, sending him spinning in bloody scratches. Morgana McCawber took her place beside José, holding up her elongated yellow nails that were now stained with red. Around her flowing dress was a belt that contained glass bottles, but Daisy suspected they weren't her usual false love potions. “But I'll do you a favor and predict your future for free – you're not going anywhere near my dear Daisy.”

Daisy sat up as soon as she was able, her mouth agape as she stared at the backs of her heroes. “José? M-Morgana? What are you...?”

“You leave these bad dancers to us, _senhora._ ” José tipped his hat and held up his umbrella like one would hold a sword – and upon closer inspection, the tip jutting out the top did look particularly sharp and pointy. “If they want to rule this Kingdom so badly, they'd better be prepared to fight for it as much as we are!”

Morgana uncorked one of her bottles and a repugnant smell began to emerge, signaling whoever touched it was in for a very bad time. “José told me what he overheard, but seeing is what makes believing. How could I ever let anything happen to my favorite customer? Especially when I've got a whole new bag of tricks to make Donald yours!”

Daisy had pushed Minnie into the Kingdom time and time again to make her understand and love the people she would one day rule. All that time she had encouraged Minnie to socialize, she'd failed to realize her own impact when she was among the people. She'd assumed she was alone for so long that she never looked around to see if she really was. Had, perhaps, Minnie sent Daisy away for her own good, to keep her safe from Mortimer's clutches? Donald had risked his life – and now José, and Morgana – had Daisy ever actually been alone?

“I-I'll make this worth it,” she said breathlessly, rising to her feet. “I'm not going to let any of this be in vain! I promise you both!” It became clear to her where she needed to go, and if José and Morgana could stall for long enough, she had a chance of succeeding. “I'll set everything right!”

“Then off with you, dragonfly!” Morgana cheered as she hurled her concoction at Bankjob's head, and popping open two more as he reeled from the deathly stench that soaked into his skin.

“And when you come back, you'll owe me a dance!” José laughed, springing forward to jab Bigtime with his unusual blade. The Beagles wouldn't back off - Bigtime tried to wrestle the umbrella from José's hands, and Bankjob swiping at Morgana to break the bottles before she could use them. The battle drew a large group of amazed townsfolk, making a crowd that blocked the Beagles from seeing where she'd gone off. The fight only lasted for a few minutes before José's umbrella was snapped, and Morgana was down to her last battle.

A good woman always knows when to save the best for last, however, and that was Morgana's intent – upon being smashed, the last “potion” created a smokescreen, and the two darted off into the furthest shadows of the kingdom to hide. They didn't know how long they could last before Mortimer sent more goons after them, so they had to hope whatever Daisy was planning would be quick.

None of them could guess she was literally heading right into enemy territory, as Daisy ran to the Forbidden Forrest, beyond which the Sun Kingdom was still unaware of its watery fate.

~*~

Mickey still hadn't said anything the entire day, but there were subtle improvements here and there. In addition to finally eating, he'd also begun pointing towards things he wanted, tugging on arms to get people's attention, and as Solaris and Horace began to lay out plans for the future, his colorful eyes were clearly taking in every word. The process of moving forward with the Moon Kingdom was a difficult one, as history had prepared them for war, not peace. Horace laid out dozens of scrolls to go over, as the first proposed step they had all agreed on was a peace treaty.

“That's like a really big promise, right?” Goofy asked as his foot tapped on the floor, mindlessly checking for something. It may have been his overactive imagination, but he could have sworn he felt muted rumbling under his feet every so often. The Sun Kingdom hadn't experienced earthquakes in years, but all the records of past ones were large, instant, and fast. So that couldn't be what he was sensing, if he was really sensing anything at all. He chalked it up to his lack of smarts.

“It's a little more complicated than that,” Horace explained as he smoothed out a particularly long, blank scroll across the table. “Despite our good intentions, they can't merely take us at our word. For all they know, this could be a trick so they'd lower their guard, and then we could strike. First off, we have to be openly honest about everything, including the prince's trips to the Moon Kingdom and his affair with the Moon Princess.” He used this opportunity to wag a lecturing finger in Mickey's direction. “Mind you, when I have a chance, we're going to have a long talk about that.”

Muscles in Mickey's face twitched, and he clutched his chest, Minnie's rejection a fresh injury that couldn't heal. Horace frowned but continued. “In addition, we may have to pay reparations for our part in the great war. Then we have to take in that they might not like all we've written here, and they'll want to add or remove things here and there. This is going to take a while, but if it works out, it'll be worth it.”

“I have a good feeling about this,” Solaris commented, running his wrinkled fingers through his gray beard. “Besides, when you really think about it, the Moon people haven't done anything to us in some time. They may want peace as much as we do. In fact, maybe not a single Moon person wishes us harm!”

That idea would soon be tossed out the open window when Launchpad McQuack barged in, and from the sound of things out in the hallway, he wouldn't be alone for long. “Y-Your Highness! You ain't gunna believe this – one of them Moons just trespassed into our Kingdom!”

All the men rose to attention at once – though Horace was glaring upwards, wondering if the Phoenix was making this as difficult as possible on purpose, and Mickey's breath caught with hopeful anticipation. King Solaris cleared his throat, trying to sound authoritative. “What do you mean exactly? What was this person doing?”

“It's some crazy lady.” Launchpad shrugged helplessly, at a loss for how to explain what he barely understood. “She was going around and screaming at people, telling them they had to leave the kingdom before they died. Me and my men managed to catch her, but she's still raving like a loon. What should we do with her?”

Horace grimaced, glancing back at their unfinished treaties. “Well, technically, she did break one of our laws.” 

Goofy clicked his tongue to his teeth. “I don't think puttin' one of the Moons in jail is gunna help us with our promise makin'. That's not startin' things off on the wrong foot, that's the whole wrong body.”

“Let me see her!”

Mickey's voice had vanished for three whole days, so to all of a sudden hear it again jolted the elder men, with Solaris even jumping. They almost didn't recognize it, and didn't stop Mickey when he approached Launchpad, quietly pleading. “Let me see her,” he repeated, swallowing with pain in his tone. “Please.”

“Whatever you say!” Launchpad waved to the others out in the hallway. “All right, guys, bring her in!”

If it was really who Mickey thought it was, he wondered if he could hold back from embracing her in front of his family. He'd accept her apologies, offer his own, and then things could start over again in the best way. But his desires wouldn't be granted this time – burly Sun soldiers dragged in not a mouse but a duck. Mickey blinked wildly, his confusion so deep that his disappointment was forgotten. “Huh?”

“You can't stay here, you're all going to die!” Daisy hadn't stopped her frantic warning, even as she wore out her arms in trying to get out of the soldiers' grip. “You're going to – Prince Mickey!” She stopped fighting when she saw who she'd been brought before, though she did attempt to move forward without any luck. “Oh, thank goodness, someone who will listen!”

“Aren't you...Daisy? Wh-what are you doing here?” Mickey gawked, but then he waved to his men, signaling for them to let go.

Horace buried his face in his hands. “Prince Michael, I swear to the Phoenix if you had two Moon girlfriends, I'm going to take these scrolls and beat you to death with them.”

“Mickey, you have to listen to me!” Daisy grabbed Mickey by the shoulders, shaking him as she spoke frantically. “Mortimer got his hands on the Moon Talisman, and he's going to use it to flood the entire Sun Kingdom!” Of course this caused several gasps and cries of “What!” throughout the room, and Daisy looked to each individual face, hoping they could see the truth in her eyes. “He told Minnie he'd flood the kingdom unless she married him, but he's going to do it anyway, today! Once the wedding is over, he's going to send the Moon Kingdom's water over here as soon as possible! You all have to leave before it starts!”

“Hold on a minute!” Horace interrupted, struggling to grasp what they'd been told. “Even if you're telling the truth, where in the world do you expect us to go? You're talking about evacuating an entire kingdom!”

“What if we all climbed onto the roofs?” Goofy suggested, though even he'd begun to cling to his spear in fear of drowning.

“It won't be enough!” Daisy could feel the tears coming again – had the sacrifice of her friends been useless? “He won't rest until every single last Sun is dead! Please, isn't there any way for you all to escape? The wedding's going to start soon! There has to be some way to save everyone!”

Panic spread throughout the room, sputtering desperate attempts and ideas, but nothing seemed plausible. Mickey looked into Daisy's eyes, seeing the risks she had taken to deliver this message and the danger she'd put herself in just by being here. The prince inhaled, and then exhaled, taking Daisy's hands off his shoulders. It had been foolish to think that an entire kingdom would want the same thing. No matter how badly peace was wanted, there would always be someone who cared more for the individual than unity. 

“Launchpad.” Mickey lifted his head, his eyes lit. “Gather all the soldiers and get them prepared.”

“Prepared to take swimming lessons?” Launchpad guessed, scratching his head.

“No. There is a way to save everyone, and that's to stop Mortimer before he can even start.” Though he'd been without food and water for so long, he felt as strong as the mightiest mountain – because he had never been so _furious_ in his entire life. This was more than just hurting Minnie, more than breaking the hearts of well-meaning lovers.

“Tell all your men to grab their weapons and follow me! We're going to war!”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the big (and I do mean BIG, this may be the longest chapter I've ever written for anything!) finale! ... before the epilogue! Thanks for your patience, and I hope it lives up to your expectations.
> 
> Super duper HUGE thanks to my editors Drucilla and BlueShifted for helping me smooth this down into something... legible.

Clarabelle never actually thought Mortimer would get married to Princess Minerva. Someone with such an annoying personality would surely have clashed with the princess – with anyone, honestly. Even on the day of the wedding, Clarabelle was still in disbelief that it was happening. She'd been managing his household for years, including today, and as a result she thought she knew him better than most. She tried to reassure herself that at least she was allowed to attend such an exciting event. Maybe she could even own Mortimer's house once he moved out for good. This was why, before the wedding, she was going through the house deciding what she'd get rid of and what she'd keep.

It was also how she found Donald tied up in the basement. She blinked several times as she stared down at Donald who stared back at her. She closed the door, took a breath, then opened it again, and of course Donald was still there. She'd seen him here and there in the Kingdom, and most of the Duck family were famous for their work in the castle. This was one doozy of a proper introduction. “Where do I even begin?”

“WILL YOU QUIT GAWKING AND HELP ME?!” Donald roared at her, struggling in his restraints. “Pete threw me in here! We've got to stop the wedding and warn everyone!”

Clarabelle rushed down the small steps, grabbing onto the ropes and began undoing the knots. “Warn everyone? Is Mortimer going to be that bad a king? I mean I had some idea, have you seen the way he dresses? No one in their right mind would willingly look like that.”

Once Donald was freed, he snatched Clarabelle's hand and began to run back up the stairs, needing to leave as soon as possible. “It's way worse than that! If we don't stop Mortimer, thousands of people are going to die! Or there could be a whole new war!”

“Donald, slow down, I'm going to break my heel!”

“I'll explain on the way! We can't stop for anything!” Yet once he threw open the door, Donald saw a very good reason for stopping. Donald quietly copied Clarabelle's earlier closing of the door, as he felt they both needed a minute to make sure they hadn't gone nuts, and then he reopened the door. Most of the Kingdom was empty as they were already at the castle for the wedding, but the duck and the cow saw a large group of people who certainly weren't invited guests.

Clarabelle gasped in horror. “We have to stop them!”

But Donald knew why they were here, and – after what he considered a brief heart attack - his grip on Clarabelle's hand tightened. “No. We're helping them.”

~*~

The Moon Kingdom's castle was not designed to hold every single citizen inside its throne room, but that didn't stop Mortimer from trying. A historical event like this needed to be seen by everyone, and he wasn't going to let a little thing like physics and common sense get in the way. They eventually ran out of chairs and many were forced to stand uncomfortably, though the lack of personal space wasn't the only thing making them so uncomfortable. For starters, the Queen still wasn't there, leaving Scrooge to officiate the wedding in her place. Pete had been temporarily relieved of guard duty to make sure no one would try anything.

Bankjob and Bigtime hadn't been able to find Morgana and José, and while they could have easily continued the search, Mortimer was insistent they attend the wedding just like everyone else. Both the servants of the castle and the townsfolk were well aware of the Beagles' terrifying pursuit of Daisy, and chatter was bouncing back and forth in the typically quiet castle. There were hundreds of questions going around, and many were eyeing the smug looking rat that stood in front of the throne. Mortimer kept running his fingers over the Moon Talisman, silently gathering his strength for his most glorious moment – though he was often distracted by the sight of the throne which would soon be his.

Worry, anger, confusion - all of these swirled around the room, making the tension rise higher and higher. But before it could burst, the bride entered the room with Scrooge by her side.

Her beauty awed the audience into silence, their anxiety cooled by her poise and grace. Scrooge gently held Minnie by the arm, intending to walk her down the aisle in place of her deceased father. He was trying to read her face under her veil, but her expression gave nothing away and she didn't say a word. The cramped musicians in a corner began to play, and both duck and mouse began to walk. Everything was peaceful and harmonious, just as Mortimer planned.

But as Minnie lifted her head, she noticed a vital person missing from the ceremony. She stopped where she was, making Scrooge stumble a step or two. Minnie's grip on her elder tightened. “Where is my mother?”

“She's still ill, Your Highness.” Though at this point even Scrooge cast Pete a suspicious glance. “Supposedly.”

Mortimer began to tap his foot impatiently and made a swift waving gesture, urging Minnie to resume walking. Yet Minnie stayed still, her chest feeling tight. She was well aware of how much the Queen was disappointed in her and it made a sort of sense that she wouldn't attend. Despite this, Minnie had finally found the one place she wouldn't budge. Though Minnie had been heartbroken about her mother's “real feelings” for her, the love Minnie had for the Queen couldn't be broken. She loved the mother that had given her advice, who had shared stories with her, and who had ultimately made Minnie who she was. “I want my mother here.”

Scrooge began to loosen his hold on the princess. “Very well, I can-”

“She's sick!” Mortimer snapped, his patience thinning by the second. “You don't want to torture your poor mother any further, do you? Now come on up here and make the best decision of your life.” He held the Talisman to his chest, the physical way of “or else” loud and clear.

Minnie understood the threat and it sent fresh fear throughout her delicate body. But it was the lack of her mother's presence that made her remember one of the most important things the Queen had said – and that had also been said by her father. 

_“You can't let fear hold you back, or else you'll never move forward. It sounds difficult, but it's the only way to live. 'To do otherwise is not living at all.' That's what your father used to say.”_

Fear of her mother's disapproval - fear of losing her loved ones - fear of her future - fear of herself, and now a brand new fear that was perhaps the strongest of them all - fear of living. It was this fear that made her straighten her back, and as she lifted her veil she looked right into Mortimer's eyes. “I will not do this without my mother.”

“Well, we can't all get what we want, princess, now move your-”

“I _am_ your princess, and that means you _will_ obey me. Now _BRING ME MY MOTHER!_ ” Every time she had screamed in her life until this moment now felt like a practice session for when she truly needed it most. It sent the entire room into shocked silence. Some villagers were so startled that they fell out of their chairs, amazed that Minnie's voice could even be so loud. As for Minnie, she'd never felt stronger. But now that she was all alone in the world, she had nothing left to lose except her own self-worth. Mickey had loved her, Daisy had cried over her - _she was worth something._

Mortimer felt a surge of terror, but his own rage was spiking, his pocket watches clinking against each other as he shook. “You're ruining my big moment! You can see the Queen all you want after we get hitched, so get over here! Don't tell me you've already forgotten our deal!”

All those questions that had been hushed moments before now exploded in the crowd, even more so when Minnie icily returned, “Bring. Me. My. Mother.”

“If you won't get over here, I'll make you!” Mortimer marched forward with every intention of snatching Minnie's arm, but before he could further display his horrible true nature, another snag in his plan made itself evident – when the castle doors were smashed down off their hinges.

Soldiers of the Sun Kingdom wore robes instead of armor to their battles as they saw bloodshed and scars as proud medals. That was why it was easy to see the multitude of sun-soaked faces standing there in the doorway, spears at the ready and hardened faces of anger upon them all. Clarabelle and Donald stood among them, though they were easily overshadowed by the royal leader. Mickey was in front, a blue stretch of cloth wrapped around his head to signal his royal status. The bo staff he had once used for play was now gripped for battle, and though his body was still weary from days of heartache and malnutrition, his eyes were as intense as gazing directly into the sun.

Mortimer gaped for words. “You – you can't be - ”

“MORTIMER RODAWN!” The prince sliced into Mortimer's protest, cutting him off as sharply as any knife could. “How dare you...how _dare you_ use my people as _pawns!_ ” He spun his staff until it pointed at Mortimer, igniting both ends at once. “Return the Talisman to its rightful owner at once or I'll make you regret the day you ever laid a hand on the princess!”

What few people that remained in their chairs were scrambling, many ready to flee and hide. Mortimer broke out in a cold sweat, his plans for greatness disappearing before his very eyes. He spotted Donald in the crowd of invaders, wondering how Pete could have misinterpreted “Get rid of him!” as “Get him out of my sight for maybe a day!”. But things could still be fixed, he could still come out a winner. “This is an act of war!” he quickly declared. “Of course these barbarians would intrude on my blessed day! Guards! Soldiers! Get rid of these dirt dwellers!”

Given that most of the Moons had no idea what was really going on, they had to guess Mortimer was right and this was an invasion. Untrained civilians ran for their lives, while both guards picked up their weapons and members of the old war grabbed whatever was at hand. Within seconds they smashed into the Sun battalion. Many of the Suns hadn't been given the full story either, as there simply hadn't been time to explain everything despite Donald and Clarabelle's best attempts. There would have been too many questions to answer, too many apologies to make, and not enough time. All they knew was their kingdom was in danger. As swords and spears began to clash, Mortimer took his chance and grabbed Minnie by the arm. “You're coming with me!”

“Let me go!” Of course this demand was ignored and she was yanked out of the throne room. Mickey was more than ready to give chase, but Pete body slammed into him first, sending Mickey rolling on the floor.

Mickey grunted, trying to get up, and Pete smashed his fists together, ready for round two. “Finally, I get the battle that was promised to me! Get ready for a world of pain, you-” But it was Pete who entered a whole new world as Donald jumped on Pete from behind, locking his arms around the heavier man's neck. Pete gagged, trying to swing Donald off, but Donald was finally allowing himself to be angry, and anger made for a strength that many should fear. “Let-go-you-stupid-duck!”

“I thought you wanted a fight!” Donald snarled. “Or did you just want an easy victory? I'm not letting you sacrifice our kingdom because you needed glory!” Pete tried to rip the duck off, his mouth open to explain that glory was far more important than Donald could understand. Yet Pete couldn't put it into words, which sent him into a panic, which made his body swing harder. Didn't people already know what glory was and the happiness it brought? But why couldn't Pete explain it?

The duck spotted the mouse and nodded towards where Mortimer had escaped. “Go! Save the princess! Save us all!”

Mickey nodded a brief thanks before running off, ducking and weaving between the various soldiers fighting for causes they didn't entirely understand. No one noticed that Pete and Donald's brawl resulted in Pete losing the keys to the Queen's bedchambers – no one except for Scrooge McDuck.

The Beagles yanked Donald off of Pete's back, but as they began to beat down upon the tutor, Clarabelle took advantage of the instruments the musicians had abandoned. Bankjob was knocked out cold by a very expensive violin, but it took two trumpets, a saxophone, and finally a tuba to put down Bigtime. As for Pete, he didn't want to deal with Donald's haunting truths, so he fled to find an easier fight.

Meanwhile Mortimer kept his eyes forward, one hand securely on the Moon Talisman as it began to glow dimly. Even though everything else had gone to pieces, there was still one part of his plan that was going exactly as it should.

~*~

In the Sun Kingdom, there was an unusual sight outside of Panchito's bar. Clara Cluck was carrying barrel after barrel outside, both full and empty ones. Panchito had tried to help, but Clara had proved to be much stronger than he was, which got her an endless amount of complimentary flirting from the rooster. The dancing girls were puzzled by these actions, just as they had been puzzled when the prince had taken the soldiers and dashed out of the kingdom as fast as their feet could take them. Millie in particular was very worried as Goofy had been among them.

“If they're really going to war,” Peg guessed as she tapped the top of an empty barrel. “Then we're going to need these. I can't imagine being sober on the day we have to fight again.”

“Drink all you like,” Clara replied, setting another barrel down. “We're getting rid of all of it. That way Panchito can't be tempted to have a single drop.”

“But why ruin our fun?” Peg joked and looked to Millie for support, but the poodle was shifting her shoulders around. “Oh, come on, Millie, I'm sure the big goof will be fine. His thick head'll probably soften a lot of blows.”

Millie tried to smile. “I know, I know. I guess this is what it's like to actually care for someone. This is all your fault, you know.”

“My fault?” Peg pretended to be aghast, a hand on her chest.

“You told me to go after him. Now I have all these weird feelings and I'm hardly sure who I am anymore. It's kind of scary sometimes. Not everyone may like the Millie I'm turning into.”

“Ah, hush, you.” Peg looped an arm around Millie's shoulders. “I'll be your friend no matter who you are. Besides, who else am I going to gab about my mystery man of the woods with?”

“Oh, you're finally ready to talk about him? It's only been forever!”

Panchito joined in the mirthful laughter, sitting on the last barrel. “Now that's what I like to hear! Maybe I should change my bar into a matchmaking business! Enter single, leave married! What say you and I become the first ones, Clara?”

Clara blushed but rolled her eyes. “Why do I put up with all of you?” That earned her a slap on the back from Peg, and as they laughed again, it was easy to forget about the dangers of war. But before Peg could at last tell the tale of mashed melons, Millie lifted her head curiously.

“Do you guys hear something?”

As one does when asked that question, the trio stopped talking to listen. At first, they couldn't tell what it was – then they identified it as a rumble. It was followed by crashes, the sounds of trees falling over. The ground beneath them began to shudder as if it knew the disaster that was to befall them all. There was no time to say “Look out!” or even to ask “What is that?!” before the waters of the Moon Kingdom struck, slamming into buildings and people alike. Screams were mixed with gurgles, and terrified civilians trying to grab onto whatever was nearby just to float.

Those that could, ran to their rooftops, praying to the Phoenix for its help. Strangers reached out to one another to save those who had begun to sink, and for those who had a minute to breathe, they could see that the water was rising. When it became obvious that the Phoenix would not come and deliver them, the collective kingdom prayed for someone, anyone to free them from their watery graves.

~*~

Scrooge had managed to escape the battle, which had begun to spill out into the streets. While a familial tug in his heart wanted to stay behind and help his nephew, he knew Donald was strong enough and smart enough to survive. But only the Queen would be able to put an end to this madness and hopefully Donald could survive for however long it took to make that happen. He ran towards the Queen's bedchambers, his trusty cane hanging onto his arm. He jammed the key into the door lock, his own calm exterior now shattered to reveal the real man underneath. Donald had actually inherited his temper through a very hot-blooded bloodline and it began to show as Scrooge's voice got louder and louder. “Your Highness, I swear if you don't have a real excuse why you didn't stop this madness, I'll spank you like you were my own child!” He threw open the doors and was momentarily stunned to see the frozen, decaying figure of his Queen.

“H-Hang on Your Highness! I'll...I'll...” He searched wildly about the room for any way to free her before remembering his own cane. He held it in both hands and approached the Queen. “If Donald was right about me needing a new cane, I'm never going to hear the end of it.” Though he was old, he was hardly weak, as Donald himself could testify. It took several hard whacks, but by strike number five, cracks formed all throughout the Queen's prison before shattering instantly.

Lune fell forward, her frail body as light as a rag doll. Scrooge managed to catch her, brushing her hair out of her face. “Queen Lune! Did Sir Mortimer do this? Are you all right?”

Lune, having long since lost all feeling in many of her fingers, tried and failed to grip onto Scrooge's arms. Her blue lips quivered, her breath foggy as she pushed words out. “M-M-M-Minerva...”

Scrooge realized the danger the princess was in, and tried to move the Queen into a somewhat standing position. “Lean on me, we've got to get her quickly! The Suns have invaded! We've got to get the two of you to safety!”

“S-S-S-Suns...” Lune couldn't stand on her own two feet, and had to lean on Scrooge in order to move at all. “S-S-Stop...” For now, it was impossible to tell him that all of the Suns were in danger, and that Mortimer couldn't be stopped as long as he had the Moon Talisman. It was taking every fiber of her being not to pass out, but just as Minnie wouldn't give up her desire to see her mother, the same loving bond kept the Queen's eyes open. She could only hope those same eyes wouldn't see bloodshed.

~*~

History was repeating itself in the streets of the Moon Kingdom. Every man and woman who had taken to arms was now lost in the prejudices of the past, fighting because they had been told to all their lives. They'd forgotten Mortimer, forgotten Mickey, forgotten everything except the desire to see the other side dead. Each blow struck was a victory for their families, every wound taken was necessary for revenge.

“DEATH TO THE MOONS!”  
“KILL THE SUNS!”  
 _“DIE!”_

When Pete burst out of the castle to join the fight he'd handed over his soul for, his stomach heaved. He'd been in the front lines of the original war for so long that he hadn't taken a time to look around or even care about his fellow soldiers. But now he was on the sidelines, seeing faces he knew personally, and his nausea grew. What was this feeling making him gag? Where had his rush gone, the excitement, the glory? Wasn't there supposed to be honor in this so he could be praised again?

“ _Stop!_ ” Donald and Clarabelle had also made it outside. But their joy over the defeat of the Beagles was short lived, as Donald uselessly kept trying to halt what years of resentment had demanded. “All of you, this has to stop! People are going to die!”

The same horror would soon run through José and Morgana, who were using one of his ex-girlfriend's homes as a temporary hiding spot. Morgana had tried to make light of the depressing situation by asking just how many ex-girlfriends José had, and by the time José had gone into double digits, a smell had wafted into the windows. Confused, José cautiously opened the window further with his umbrella, trying to make sure no one would see them. He took a long whiff. “That's smoke... and a lot of it.”

“And where there's smoke, there's-” Morgana cut herself off, gasping as rose to her feet. “Fire?! Could that mean the Sun people here?”

José climbed out of the window, sweat beginning to coat his green feathers. “ _Isso é horrível!_ We have to stop them!”

Yet even with the combined efforts of José, Morgana, Clarabelle, and Donald, their words wouldn't reach anyone's ears. José even tried to block blows with his own body, but he was treated like another enemy, forcing him to defend himself and reluctantly join the fight. Morgana screamed for Drake to listen, pleading with him to think of his daughter, but even he was lost to bloodlust. He'd pinned down Launchpad McQuack, both of their weapons lost in the scuffle. They'd been brought down to using their bare knuckles, not caring what cracked as each fist was brought down. 

Goofy had been backed up, ready to turn into the Demon Dog. He hadn't wanted to get things this far, but no one was listening and he had to defend his life. There had been no choice except to inherit his father's legacy once more when he suddenly lost his footing – he yelped, nearly falling into the almost empty canal, but grabbed onto the edge at the last second. When he glanced down, his eyes widened, and he let out a howl of horror. “ _NOOO!_ ” The water that remained was enough to float the boats, but the rest of it was gone.

Those that were distracted by such a guttural cry were rewarded by another attack. But Goofy had no more interest in taking anyone down, now trying to push through the crowd of cavaliers. “She's gunna – Millie! Pa! The King! Horace! Ev-everyone's gunna-gunna DROWN! No, no, no, no, out of my way!”

Confused warriors happened to see the canals, and Goofy's words started to register in the brains, one by one. But it couldn't be – that was impossible – yet where else would the water be? Panicked Suns threw down their weapons, screaming about their families, climbing over each other to return home but realizing they could do nothing.

Many Moons, Drake included, first thought this was some kind of distraction battle technique. But when Launchpad grabbed his hair, tears in his eyes, and began to cry out over his own loved ones - “Dad! Mom! My - my sister, Loopy! I never got to show her how to ride a horse!” - that he remembered his own daughter, and his heart seized.

Goofy grabbed the first Moon he saw, which happened to be Pete, and fell to his knees as he begged. “Can't you Moons do something?! Can you call back the water?”

“I, uh, well...” Pete stammered at a loss. His need for glory had suddenly diminished in the wake of a seemingly more powerful individual imploring him for help. It never occurred to Pete that anyone would ask for his help or even want it. In that instant, he wanted to be useful in a way that would make a difference. Glory could be repeated for years and years but this was something that needed to be done now. “No, we can't! We just don't have that kind of power!”

“Please! We gotta do something! _Please!_ ”

As the Suns wailed in agony over their sisters and brothers, their friends and their royalty, the Moons didn't see their enemies, or even Suns – they saw only people, people like them, who were going to lose everything. The distrust and distaste didn't fade away, but the fact that innocent children, elderly, those from all walks of life were going to die made their bias seem terribly unimportant. Yet what could be done? Could the combined power of both Kingdoms really be this useless?

Drake checked the canals once more, as if that would suddenly return all the water and he could pretend this had been some mass hallucination before they resumed knocking skulls together. The water naturally didn't return, but he saw the boats – the dozens upon dozens of traveling boats casually used every day that could fit plenty of people.

Clarabelle gulped as she saw what he was staring at. “Isn't that dangerous?”

Drake pulled Launchpad to his feet, steadying him once he was up. “Then let's get dangerous!”

~*~

The Moon castle had many balconies to boast of, with the largest one in the tallest tower. In that room was the royal library, stuffed to the brim with books of all genres. Mortimer hadn't exactly planned to go there, but Mickey had proven to be impossible to get rid of, causing Mortimer to go wherever there was a free path. Now that he was in the library, he was at a dead end, and it didn't help that using the Talisman was causing a great strain on his body. Minnie hadn't been helping, as she kicked and screamed and bit, doing anything she could think of to make him let go. He panted for breath, and his body stiffened as he heard the doors slam open.

Mickey was also exhausted, but he refused to let it show as he stepped into the room. “Let her go, Mortimer! This ends now!”

Mortimer was happy to toss the dead weight aside and Minnie hit the floor, tears rolling down her cheek. All she could think of to do was watch with watery eyes. The sight of this sent Mickey into an even hotter fury just when he thought he couldn't get any angrier.

Like all rooms in the Moon Kingdom, there was a dripping water supply ready for use even in the library. Mortimer summoned it to him, making it swirl around him in a miniature cyclone. “This suits me just fine, you filthy Sun! This will be the greatest chapter in all of history, when I take down the Prince of the Sun Kingdom!”

“Nothing's set in stone yet!” Mickey ran forward, spinning his staff around and around until he made a circle of flames all around him. Water and fire clashed, steam rising off of them as each blow was parried. Mortimer tried to freeze Mickey, but Mickey was too fast. He rammed his staff against Mortimer's legs and arms, hoping to break a bone and put a quick end to it all. Yet Mortimer's waters kept dousing Mickey's flames, forcing him to step back and mentally reignite them.

Even though both men were tired, they would give no quarter and each strike took a little more out of them. Mickey had successfully managed to leave a hard burn on Mortimer's left leg, and his right cheek had a bruise that wouldn't leave anytime soon. Yet Mickey's victories were hollow as his movements became slower and slower, his vision beginning to blur. Though they both had their reasons for their exhaustion, Mortimer had at least eaten for the last couple of days, whereas Mickey was still starving.

It turned out that love and bravado weren't enough to keep a man going, as evidenced when Mortimer kicked Mickey so hard in the stomach he sent the smaller mouse flying into a wall of books. Mickey couldn't even defend himself as a few mystery novels hit him on the head. His groan could barely be heard over Mortimer's maniacal laughter, his pain ignored for pride. “I can't believe you thought you had a chance against me! You will go down in history as the easiest victory the Moons ever had! You're going to make me immortal!”

Mickey tried to lean on his arms, wearily lifting his head. “I'm...not done...I'll...never give up...”

Mortimer kicked one of the fallen books out of the way as he approached. “How noble. But what I'm going to make sure everyone remembers is how you pathetically begged for your life and acknowledged me as your superior. Everyone will remember you for what you really are!”

Though it was hard to see, the prince still kept his sights on his oncoming enemy. “You'll remember.”

Now that gave Mortimer pause, though he wasn't sure why. Mickey swallowed, but he didn't stop. “You can tell everyone what you want...but you'll always know the truth. That you couldn't make me give up. That you had to force Minnie to marry you. That nobody in this kingdom wanted you to rule. Change history all you want...you'll always know the truth.”

Mortimer's lip twitched and as he loomed over Mickey, he raised his foot. “My truth is everyone's truth. And the truth is, you died in the mud like the miserable bug you are!”

“ _DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!_ ”

Something shot into Mortimer's back like a small knife. He cried out, tripping over his own feet and falling forward. Mickey pushed himself out of the way, and when both men got up, they saw that the bride wasn't going to be tossed away like a bouquet.

Tears were still dribbling down Minnie's face, but now she'd made this extra water source into a weapon of her own. With Mortimer's tight control over all the water in the room, Minnie was left with only this unusual option. She roughly wiped her cheek with the back of her hand, and then lashed her arm out, the water obeying her will and traveling through the air with enough speed and force that when it hit Mortimer in the chin, it was like a handful of needles slicing through his skin. Her breaking point had been met and there was no going back. “Get away from him this instant!”

This confrontation was about many things – Suns and Moons, past and present, pride and love, but for the princess, it was another equally important fight. All her life she had been told what to do and how to think, even by those who only had her best interests in mind. But she knew now that it no longer mattered that she was Princess Minerva of the Moon Kingdom. What mattered was that she was a person with thoughts and feelings and choices. She would never allow herself to be a puppet again, and the strings that had once held her in place couldn't be reattached. 

Mortimer began to back up, unaware he was heading for the balcony. Had he been that wrong about her too? Was there a potential for devastation if he didn't fix things as soon as possible? “Now...h-hold on, princess! We can still work things out!” With a steady rise of his hand, he tried to make a shield for himself. “Once we get married, you and I-”

“You are not worthy of me!” Minnie ripped off her veil and threw it on the floor. She was not a toy, not an object, but a living being, and Mortimer was going to learn she was not a stepping stone for his own narcissism. She had power. She had strength. She was never going to see herself as weak again. “I deserve better than you! I am worthy of love and respect!” She wiped her cheeks again, her passion keeping her weapon supply fresh. “Even if Mother doesn't love me or if Mickey doesn't love me, I love me! And I love myself too much to let you put a ring on my finger!” She slapped her hands into the air to send another round of small missiles, utterly destroying Mortimer's attempt at deflection. 

His back hit the balcony railing and he wobbled as he pressed the Talisman close to his chest. “Maybe a good king doesn't need a queen...I can always say I was too late to save you from death at the Sun's hands! I can say anything I want!” Now he tried for an offensive attack, the same as he done to Mickey. Surely a weak little dancer couldn't protect herself from true power – but as any real dancer will tell you, that is not weakness. Mickey was a warrior, but dancers required just as much strength, skill, and discipline, merely of a different sort. Though her hands moved as gracefully as they did during ballet practice, they contained enough power to slam his attacks side to side, unable to touch her at all. This was the woman who had trained every day to manage an entire kingdom's water supply, and the confidence she took with every step forward said that she knew it.

 _This can't be happening_ , Mortimer told himself as he shook in place. _I defeated the Queen! I can't let some puny princess get the best of me!_ But then he remembered – he had defeated the Queen by doing something no one could do, not even royalty. With the Moon Talisman still in his hands, his normal powers could be multiplied. With a haughty sneer, he pushed himself off the railing and slammed his foot down, sending a hard wave of power throughout the room – all of the water began to freeze in place, with the drips becoming hard icicles that fell and left nasty slices on Minnie's pure white fur. Minnie whirled around, her mouth open as she tried to find another source besides her own tears. Her power supply was running out, and now Mortimer had taken away any other chance to strike back. Even worse, Mickey's robes were frozen to the floor, and he was unable to free himself.

Mickey cried out at the sudden cold, having never felt it before. Not only did it bring a new set of fears for Minnie, but also victorious laughter from Mortimer.

“I will lead my people to our final victory!” Mortimer drew a breath – and that's when he noticed how dreadfully quiet it was outside when there was supposed to be a bloodbath down below. “A really quick victory?” He turned around and looked down, and that's when his jaw fell open. “What the – where is everyone?!”

~*~

Inside the Sun palace, Horace, King Solaris and Daisy had holed themselves up in Mickey's room in a last ditch effort to escape the rising flood waters. But since the Sun Kingdom didn't have doors and windows, the water flowed in fast and freely. Daisy had chosen to stay behind in case of the worst case scenario, hoping that her powers would be enough to delay the water. But she was struggling to use her abilities to control the water and was only delaying their demise by minutes. She stood in front of the open doorway, her hands outstretched, sweat pouring down every white feather. Her knees began to buckle and Solaris helped her stay on her feet.

“You can't keep doing this!” he tried to reason with her, care in his withered voice. “You'll end yourself before the water does!”

“I...have to try...” Daisy huffed, her body shivering as though she was pushing back against the weight of the moon itself. “I-I'm sorry...that I can't do more...”

“You've done all you can.” Horace took Daisy's other side, helping Solaris keep her up. “We can't ask you to do anymore! If you stop now, you might have enough energy to swim to the surface when it hits!”

Daisy could feel herself beginning to cry, her fingers bending inward as the last of her strength gave way. The water began to quickly flow inside the room.“I'm sorry, I'm sorry...” She repeated it over and over, but it wasn't just for the brave men by her side. She was sorry she couldn't help Minnie, sorry she didn't appreciate José and Morgana until it was too late, sorry that all her efforts had been for naught – and she was sorry she'd never see Donald's face again.

Acknowledging their fates, Horace hugged Daisy and held Solaris' hand. “It was an honor to serve you, Your Highness.”

Solaris also held Daisy, squeezing Horace's hand. “I've always been proud of you, Horace. I just wish I could have seen a little more in my long life. My son married, my grandbabies, the Moon Kingdom's castle...I never even got to see what a boat looks like.”

If the Phoenix really was answering people's prayers that day, then it was doing it in a most ironic fashion. The wall that had once been Mickey's to draw on was smashed into by a large metal boat, its silver surface reflecting their slackjawed expressions. If the sound of its crash wasn't enough to hold their attention, then Donald's shout would have. “ _Daisy!_ ”

Seconds before, Daisy was on the verge of collapsing, but now she threw off the astonished men as she jumped into Donald's arms. “Donald!”

“You – you stupid, weird, silly girl!” Donald spun around, refusing to let her go ever again. “I can't believe you came here! You could've gotten yourself killed! Is that what I get for not going on a date with you? Quit punishing me already!”

“Oh shut up! You're ruining the mood!”

“Don't you tell me to shut up, I just saved you!”

Clarabelle shoved the bickering couple out of the way. “If you don't mind, can we save these people? Sheesh!” After a huff, she reached down and helped pulled Horace up, though she made sure to give him a good hard look. “Sooo...when were you planning to tell me you were a Sun?”

“I was going to get to it! You know! Eventually! Is this really the time?” Horace spoke rapidly, as once he was on board he helped pull Solaris up. “Sire, you say one word about grandbabies, I will push you overboard.”

Solaris laughed loudly, pulling both Clarabelle and Horace into a tight embrace. “Bless the Phoenix! I'll live to see everyone's grandbabies!”

“We're not going to live to see anything we don't keep moving!” Drake could be heard shouting from the helm. “Everyone, altogether now!”

At the command, all the Moons raised their hands and moved their arms, making similar motions to the Queen and Princess for their morning ritual. While they couldn't make the water recede, they could move the water around them and push the boats in whatever direction they wanted. As this one pulled out of the castle, Solaris, Horace and Daisy could see dozens of boats all doing the same thing – pulling people on board, moving from building to building and collecting and many people as possible. José kissed Clara Cluck's cheek once she got on board and Panchito was doing a short victory dance with Morgana. Launchpad scooped up his sister, thanking Drake over and over until Drake thought he'd be sick of it. Fethry nearly fainted when Wilbur came on board, Ms. Beakly helped the scroll shop owner cough up water, and on each and every single boat, there were no Suns or Moons – there were only people helping people.

Goofy stood at the edge of the boat and pointed ahead. “There's Peg! But she's in trouble!” He pointed with his spear – Peg was hanging onto a floating tree, but another rough wave was threatening to knock her off. “I don't think we're gunna make it in time!”

Pete was on the same boat, and when he saw the woman that had steered his life into making difficult decisions, he didn't hesitate – instead of using his power to move the boat, he slammed a fist into the water, sending a hard ripple that intensified as it got closer and closer to Peg until it ultimately shot her out of the water. She shrieked as she flipped in the air, landing smack ontop of Pete. He'd planned for a more romantic catch in his arms, but today was a lesson about things not going the way one hoped. Peg blinked rapidly as she sat on his gut, trying to understand what in the world happened before she laid eyes on him. “Somehow,” she decided, “ _Somehow_ I know you're responsible for this! You keep destroying all my things! That's it, you're going to work for me for the rest of my life until you pay off everything!”

Pete didn't argue. For once, he actually felt good about something he did, and he smiled. “Wouldn't be the worst thing, I guess.”

Goofy dashed to Peg's side and took her hand. “Have you seen Millie? Is she okay?”

Peg's relief vanished. “I-I don't know where she is! Once that water hit, we all got separated!”

The bodyguard swallowed hard, and looked out to the other rescue ships. By now he'd seen his father and so many friends, but there was no sign of Millie. There were still many boats moving around, one of them had to have saved her. He kept telling himself this over and over, hoping that it would be true as long as he never said otherwise.

~*~

“Where is everyone?!” Mortimer asked again even though he knew he wasn't going to get an answer. “They can't have abandoned me like this! How am I supposed to fit this into my narrative? These idiots are ruining everything!”

As Mortimer's master plan was broken down into dust, Minnie raced to Mickey's side, kneeling down so she could try and melt the ice. Yet this was an area she had no experience in at all, so she couldn't make the ice budge. “Oh Mickey, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault! I shouldn't have let things get this far.” She cradled him in her arms, pressing her wet cheek to his face.

Mickey painfully gazed at her wounds, feeling more and more helpless. He'd come to save her and his people, and had failed to do both. He held her as tightly as his weak arms would allow, feeling her heart beat against his chest. If hers was racing just a few seconds faster, their heartbeats would have been in sync. “I love you, Minnie. No matter what, I always will.” But he knew that “always” wouldn't be for much longer, since he couldn't get up to fight. He was securely frozen to the floor, while Minnie was free. “You've got to get out of here, Minnie.”

“What!” Minnie pulled back slightly in shock. “No! I'm not leaving you! I'm never leaving you again!”

“You heard what Mortimer said, he'll hurt you too!”

“As long as he has the Moon Talisman, he'll hurt everyone! There's...” Her voice broke, and she closed her eyes. She had been so powerful moments before, but it meant nothing as long as Mortimer had the Talisman. If she couldn't melt the ice that held Mickey down, there was no way she could undo all the ice in the room. “There's nothing we can do. Let me just be with you.” Would she have gotten the confidence to stand up to Mortimer without him? Would she be who she was without him? They held each other's hands, gazing at their lover, knowing they had both been changed. These were not the same young mice who fell so hard in one night during that birthday party so long ago. Since then, there would been regrets they'd always carry, but meeting and loving each other would not be among them. 

Mickey was surprised by Minnie's choice, and he blinked slowly, seeing her in a new light. All this time he had seen her as someone who needed to be protected by him. But now this was a choice she was making for herself. He didn't recognize pride as it warmed his chest. If this was going to be their final act, it would be their choice and no one else's. Mickey took Minnie's hand, and placed his palm atop her gloved hand – the makings of their promise without the necklace. “I promise to love you forever, Minnie.”

“I p-promise to love you forever, Mickey.” She nestled into his chest, hoping that perhaps in the next lifetime, they could find each other again and find the happiness they had worked so hard to achieve. 

“FINE!” Mortimer slammed his hands on the railing, oblivious to the devotion going on behind him. “If that's the way they want, I don't need them! I don't need anyone! I'll drown every single last traitor in both Kingdoms!” He then whipped around, sneering at the royal opposition. “And I'll start with you two! Then your mother, then those ducks, then buffoon Pete, those useless Beagles, and everyone I see! There won't be anyone left to ruin my place in history!”

Mickey wasn't threatened and instead, raised an eyebrow. “If you do that, who's going to remember you?”

The weight of that simple question burned Mortimer's brain so much he could feel heat behind his eyes. “I. It. That. That's.” Not only had he been put in a dead end room, but now his plans for the future were at a dead end. Either he killed everyone and no one would remember him, or everyone would learn what he'd done and he'd be remembered as a villain and hated throughout time. He couldn't fathom which was worse. Mortimer had kept putting himself in the past and future for so long that the present was difficult to grasp. “No, no, I can think of something! I'm going to be remembered!”

Minnie was tempted to say something to further destroy his plans, but decided if she had worth, than she deserved better than to have her last memories be of Mortimer's face falling. She turned to Mickey and cupped his cheeks. “Thank you for everything.”

Mickey's face softened and he took her hand, kissing her knuckles. “I'm the one who should be thanking you. Minnie.”

“Don't you – _DON'T YOU IGNORE ME!_ ” Mortimer yelled, using the remaining water he had left and building it over his head. He was raving, not caring that his words had become irrational. “I'll drown you both right here, right now! You're not going to forget me!” The prince and princess held each other in a loving embrace, their heartbeats thumping until for one brief second they beat at the exact same time.

In that second, two unexpected things happened. The first was the Moon Talisman grew instantly scalding hot, so much that Mortimer shouted in pain and dropped it onto the floor, his palm becoming a smoky ruin. The second was that Mickey's eyes started to glow whiter and whiter until it appeared light itself was streaming from his eyes. The ice that had been keeping him prisoner shattered like delicate glass. He suddenly stood up, accidentally knocking Minnie aside, and a similar glow was emitting from his chest in a circular shape.

At this point Mortimer was too worn out to even let out another decent yell. “Oh, you've got to be kidding me. What now?”

“ **Still your tongue before your better, boy!** ” Mickey ordered except his voice was absolutely not Mickey's. It was at once both female and male, powerful and imposing and like no voice ever heard on the mortal plane. The air around him warmed up like a sauna, the ice started to melt, and the wounds on his body began to heal on their own. “ **You have gone against the will of the Gods! You were all warned of what was to happen should you use our gifts as weapons!** ”

Mortimer didn't believe what he was hearing, but even without the Talisman he could still manipulate the melted water around him. “I got a gift for you right here, so take it!” He summoned the water all around his body, but before he had a chance to use it, Mickey – or whatever was using Mickey's body – merely stepped forward and the water evaporated. Mortimer stared at the space where the water was, slowly getting an idea of how much trouble he was in. “Uh. How did...”

“ **Do you not understand what stand down means?** ” The voice in Mickey barked, balled fists at its hips. “ **Do you as a species wish to be destroyed so quickly? You have committed blasphemy for the last time! If you all continue to fight in this meaningless war, then your lives are forfeit! The Phoenix commands it so!** ”

Minnie didn't understand what was happening, but she knew the Moon Talisman was free. She made a dive for it and held it triumphantly in her hands. “Wait, I've got it!”

The Phoenix turned its head towards Minnie, looking her up and down. “ **I can't very well do this alone. Are you going to help me out or not?** ”

“What?” Minnie asked, but that was all she got out before the Moon Talisman glowed the same color as Mickey had, and her eyes took on the same unnatural appearance. Now the room's temperature plummeted, and as she stood to attention, strands of her hair froze on her face. “ **Patience has never been your strong suit. It's not my fault you had an easier time getting here. Not everyone is silly enough to swallow a magical Talisman.** ” At this, Mortimer felt as if he wasn't breathing anymore. He could only hope this was the part where he woke up from a nightmare and vowed to never have ice cream before bed again.

“ **My dear Rabbit, can we not fight in front of the lesser species?** ” The Phoenix rubbed its temples. “ **We haven't seen each other in decades and you have to make this difficult.** ”

The Rabbit merely waved its hand. “ **You know I don't mean to, my darling Phoenix. Let's just get this over with and then we can make up for lost time.** ” It then held its chin in contemplative thought. “ **I suppose increasing the flood would be the quickest way, most of them are already there.** ” It held out its hand, ready to snap its fingers and begin the extermination.

“ _WAIT!_ ”

Queen Lune and Scrooge McDuck had managed to find the noise of battle and make it to the tower, although neither of them were entirely sure what they were seeing. Queen Lune had managed to find her voice, though it still shook with as her body tried to warm itself. “Don't do this! I beg of you, don't hurt them!”

The Phoenix pointed an indignant finger at the Queen. “ **You of all people should know this was to come. You were there when we warned you!** ” It paused, and then waved its hands about as it tried to explain things in better detail. “ **Well, when I warned you. Sort of. We were one entity then, we split up in order to form the Talismans. So I guess technically we both warned you specifically. I think. Memory gets a bit hazy when you break yourselves in two.** ”

The Rabbit pat her counterpart on the shoulder. “ **Darling? She doesn't care. It's too complicated for the likes of them anyway. Now, let's get back to the punishment.** ”

Scrooge waved his cane at them, his glasses sliding off his beak. “What I don't care about is who you two think you are! You don't have a right to take anyone's lives! I'll fight you myself if I have to, you're not hurting my nephews!”

Queen Lune pushed herself off of Scrooge and wound up on her hands and knees. Yet it wasn't only her body's deterioration that made her collapse to the floor, as now she bowed her head before the gods. “I know Mortimer has broken the rule you set before us. But please don't kill everyone for the act of one selfish man! Give us another chance!”

The Rabbit clicked its tongue to its cheek. “ **And why should we even consider that?** ”

The Queen pressed her forehead to the floor, trying not to cry. “You have the body of my daughter, so you must also have her mind! Look through her memories! She's not a child who wants war! Look through her, and see what we're capable of!” It was a risky gambit, she was aware, but there was nothing else she could think to do. She clearly misjudged Mortimer but she believed she knew her daughter as well as any mother could. “If you think yourselves to be so superior, then would a superior being kill an innocent?”

The gods exchanged a look, but then the Rabbit sighed. “ **Very well...I suppose it couldn't hurt to take a peek. You will join me, won't you, my Phoenix?** ”

“ **As if I could ever tell you no, my Rabbit.** ” The gods linked their hands together and closed their eyes. To them it was like unfurling a scroll or opening a book and going through each word one by one They went through births, through first steps and first friendships, through times of happiness and of strife and ultimately found the day when Mickey and Minnie first laid eyes upon each other. Of course they didn't stop there, and they witnessed the misadventures Mickey gave Horace, and Minnie's frequent forays into unusual parts of her Kingdom.

Through their eyes they saw naive children become stronger leaders. They saw accidents turn into lessons, and that a blossoming love created both problems and solutions to their lives. They saw the potential each life Mickey and Minnie touched, and the potential future this forbidden love could create. As lives intertwined, the powers of the gods allowed them to see into the memories of all the Suns and Moons – and how much had changed since the day the Talismans were first gifted upon them. 

Horace and Clarabelle had given each other a strength they didn't realize they needed, and something was brewing between Peg and Pete that was worth far more than what they first wanted. Even within the individual kingdoms there had been happiness despite the pains of the past. Daisy and Donald had overcome the hurdles of accepting themselves, Clara and Panchito had started to heal the wounds of time, and there was Goofy and Millie and José and Morgana and Drake and everyone and anyone in the kingdoms, each with their own worth. And right that second, they were all helping each other survive the treacherous flood waters, celebrating with every person they had rescued, thanking those they had been striking before.

Try as Mortimer had, the flames of hatred had only been ignited briefly, before being drowned out by the universal understanding of love for your fellow man. The hands of the gods began to part and their eyes began to open.

“ **Perhaps,** ” said the Rabbit quietly, “ **We were too hasty in our judgment.** ”

The Phoenix sighed deeply, straightening its robes. “ **I guess even gods can make mistakes. I suppose we were expecting you to fail all this time and were just waiting for it to happen.** ”

Queen Lune lifted her head, almost holding her breath. “Then you'll spare us?”

“ **For now,** ” the Phoenix warned, wagging a finger. “ **But you'd better not let this sort of thing happen again. We'll be keeping a better eye on things this time around.** ”

The Rabbit chuckled, a hand to its lips. “ **I bet you just want to see our vessels kissing again. Liked that, didn't you?** ”

The Phoenix's cheeks reddened darker than a normal person's should. “ **Must you always turn these things into some sort of argument? Don't you have a flood to control?** ”

“ **Ah, right. I nearly forgot.** ” The Rabbit held up one finger, and began to swirl it around and around in the air. A bright blue color appeared in the air, following the finger around. “ **Just give me a moment.** ”

~*~

As the last of the Suns were being rescued, incredulous Moons noticed the water began to lower itself inch by inch, retreating back into the Moon Kingdom. Everyone began to celebrate, as the loss of buildings and businesses meant nothing compared to the lives of those who were saved. As the boats were lowered to the flat earth, people of both Kingdoms jumped off and danced here and there, kissing cheeks and singing and greeting. Families were reunited, new friendships were made, and it was if it was a party that would never end.

But one person wasn't celebrating. Goofy had called out Millie's name over and over, and checked every boat he could find but there was no sign of his beloved dancer. When he found himself in front of Panchito's bar where a few empty barrels had floated back home, he spotted a glint of gold on the ground. It was one of Millie's bells from her outfit and the sight of it sent Goofy into despair. He fell to his knees, holding the bell in his hands, weeping inconsolably.

Such a sad sight stood out among the cast of happy ones, causing many to stop their joyous party to watch Goofy cry into his palms. Those who could guess the source of his suffering could offer no words to help him as Peg began to cry into Pete's shoulder and Panchito offered a silent prayer to the Phoenix. Wilbur tried to reach a hand out to his son, but he knew he didn't have any words to bring comfort.

That was when one of the supposedly empty barrels popped open its top and a drenched poodle stuck her head out. “Are we safe now?”

“Millie, you dumb mutt!” Peg hollered in delight, rushing over to help pull her free. “You had us all worried!” A tight hug was exchanged once she was out, Clara and Panchito joining in.

Millie laughed, returning each embrace. “It looks like I owe you one, Clara!”

“Her name's Clara?” Clarabelle gasped, touching her chest. “Mine's Clarabelle! This is destiny, I know it!”

“I think I predicted something like this would happen,” Morgana said with confidence, tossing her wet hair behind her shoulder. “And my predictions are always right!”

“Gee, could you predict my future, miss?” Launchpad asked, squeezing water out of his pants.

“KEEP IT DOWN!” Goofy roared at all of them, “CAN'T YOU FELLAS LET A GUY MOURN IN PEACE?!” before resuming his sobbing position on the ground.

Disbelieving looks were all shared, except by Horace who merely held up his hand. “Give him a minute.”

Thankfully it took less than that for Goofy to realize what exactly they'd been talking about and he sprang to his feet, almost tackling his sweetheart down. “Millie! Aw gwarsh, Millie! I was so worried about you!”

“The crying like a child gave that away, yes,” Millie replied, but she was happy to hold him. “I was worried about you too. I love you.”

“Let's get married, Millie!

“All right, we-” She paused. “Wait, what?! Are you serious? Did you get too much water between your ears?”

“Yes, but I still mean it!” Goofy shook her hands up and down, too happy to be swayed by seemingly minor details. “I don't ever wanna lose you again, Millie! Let's get hitched!”

Millie stared, and though she tried to fight off a smile, it was a battle she didn't mind losing. “I don't think I'll ever really understand you.”

“Aw, that's okay, sometimes I don't understand me either!”

“How romantic!” Daisy cooed, taking Donald's arm. “Let's make it a double wedding with me and Donald!”

“Hey!” Donald tried to pry her off. “We just got together! Can't we at least go on a date first?”

“We'll make it official at Panchito's Paradise!” Panchito declared, crowing merrily. “That'll be the name of my new place! Right after me and Clara go first! Everybody get in line!”

Drake tried to avoid the knowing eyes Morgana was giving him. “No way am I saying 'I do' without my kid around.”

Pete scratched his head. “Are all you Suns this crazy?”

“Look who's talking!” Peg poked his nose. There was laughter and dancing, there was confusion and questions, there was love and arguments. There was peace. The war between the Sun Kingdom and the Moon Kingdom was over.

~*~

“ **And where do you think you're going?** ”

As the flood had returned to the Kingdom, Mortimer had tried to use this as an opportunity to climb down from the balcony and escape. But all he'd managed to get was one leg over the railing when the gods called out to him, their eyes boring into his very soul. He froze. “Uh, well! I was going to go home and think long and hard about what I've done. This was a real lesson, I tell you. You won't see me doing this again!”

“ **You were the one who ultimately used our gifts to harm another.** ” The Phoenix pointed out, the ends of his robes beginning to singe. “ **So it stands to reason that you should be the one punished.** ”

Mortimer clung to the railing, fearing for his life. “Don't kill me! I can change! I'll rewrite myself! Think of this as the big edit on my life!”

“ **We're not going to kill you,** ” the Rabbit said, smiling thinly. “ **That would be too merciful. Your punishment will be twofold. First, you will be banished from both kingdoms.** ”

Any relief Mortimer might have had vanished. “What? But...where am I supposed to go? I don't know about anything outside these Kingdoms!”

“ **And second,** ” continued the Phoenix, not caring the slightest about Mortimer's whining, “ **While this moment in history will surely stay in the texts forevermore, your name, your image, all of you will be forgotten from it. The people will know someone caused this event, but not who.** ” The water in the room began to churn on the floor, faster and faster, with the middle of it becoming a black hole that led to the outsides of the kingdoms – wherever and whatever that was.

Mortimer could feel his body being pulled into the abyss, and his fingers began to give way on the railing. “No! No! You can't do this to me! I deserve to be remembered! You can't forget me! I'm important! I'm somebody!” His hands could no longer hold on, and he fell into the water, spinning as he tumbled toward the darkness. “Remember me! You have to remember me! REMEMBER ME!” Those were his last words heard in the Kingdom before he was sucked under, and the water evaporated.

The Rabbit stretched its arms, the blue color in the air disappearing. “ **Well, that's all of our business. We should get going before we change our minds.** ”

“ **A pity, I was enjoying seeing you again,** ” The Phoenix lamented before kissing the Rabbit's cheek.

“ **Oh, we'll be together another time. I'm rarely wrong about these things.** ” The Rabbit returned the kiss before addressing the Queen. “ **The Phoenix's vessel was right about one thing. Nothing is set in stone. The people of both Kingdoms could still fall to war someday. We may not be so lenient next time.** ”

The Queen smiled for the first time since – she honestly couldn't remember. “Unless we have more than enough happy memories to change your mind again?”

The Phoenix shrugged one shoulder. “ **Maybe these lesser beings aren't as...lesser as we thought.** ”

“ **Maybe you're right, once in a while.** ” The gods exchanged a pleased grin, and the glow began to fade from both mice. Mickey and Minnie fell onto the ground, their bodies now theirs to control once more.

Mickey was the first to regain consciousness, and considering he couldn't remember what happened after someone – he wasn't one hundred percent sure who - tried to kill them, he was panicked. “Minnie!” At the same time Minnie woke up, Mickey threw himself at her, clutching her. “Minnie, you're okay! Are you okay? Please tell me you're okay?”

“I-I think...” Minnie was just as confused as to what had happened, but once her mother came into her line of sight, loving reunions were put on hold. “Mother!” She picked up her dress and ran into her mother's arms as if she hadn't seen her in years instead of days. “Mother, I'm so sorry!” The sight of her decaying Mother gave her tears when she thought she'd run out. She wasn't even sure if it was safe to hug her, but despite all that Lune had physically lost, her hold was as tight as ever.

“Oh, Minerva.” Lune was surprised that tears could feel so warm. “My sweet daughter, I can't believe you've suffered so much under my care. Please...” She shook her head, and her frozen emotions melted into a flood of tears. “Please forgive your wretched mother!”

“Mother, don't say that!” It was not surprising she began to cry just as hard. “You did your best!”

Scrooge began to look for his glasses and he was most certainly not using this as an excuse to hide the fact that he'd begun to get misty-eyed because he hadn't gotten misty-eyed. No sir.

The Queen apologized over and over, but as she lifted her head she remembered Mickey was still in the room, though he looked unsure of what to do. She wiped her face. “You...You're the Prince of the Sun Kingdom, aren't you?”

Mickey swallowed. “Yep.” He then cleared his throat. “I mean, yes, Your Highness. I-I'm Prince Michael.” He bowed his head respectfully.

Queen Lune looked down at Minnie, recalling how the Rabbit had spoken of their kisses and the obvious devotion Mickey had when he'd awoken. “And you...care about my daughter.”

If this wasn't opportunity, Mickey didn't know what was. He walked toward the Queen, and then knelt before her, his hands placed together. “I can't say that I care about her with all my heart because I care about my Kingdom, and yours as well. I've got a lot of apologies to make to you and everyone else. If you'd let me, I'd like to start doing that now. But I do love Princess Minerva and I always will.”

Queen Lune held up her hand – the cold she'd suffered had definitely cost her several fingers, and a doctor would be needed to see what could be saved. There were ugly bruises on her skin and her body still trembled. But it would heal. She would heal. Time was a constant, moving thing. It waited for no one, so she would have to catch up as soon as possible. She placed her aching palm atop his orange hand. “Promise me you'll take care of my daughter.”

There was no way she knew of the secret hand gesture of promises between the mice. How could she? That's what told Mickey and Minnie this was meant to be. Mickey smiled and placed his hand atop hers.

“I promise.”


	16. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we are! This is a project I've been working on for years, and while I couldn't do absolutely EVERYTHING I wanted (who can?) I'm incredibly satisfied with what I created with my team. I hope you enjoyed this ride, and it's time to dole out the big thanks.
> 
> Ames, who created this world with me in a very fun role-playing session!  
> Cici, who designed the fashion, looks and style of both worlds!  
> Palooka and Boxlunches, who gave me the emotional support to keep going!  
> Chllstarr, who (albeit unknowingly) helped me build Mortimer's backstory and motivations!  
> Drucilla and BlueShifted, the most AMAZING editors anyone could ask for!
> 
> And of course, THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY READERS! As much as we writers would like to say we do this just to write, we THRIVE on comments! So for every like, reblog, share, what-have-you, thanks so much, and thanks to those who took the time to share their thoughts!

Six Months Later

“I'm not wearing this thing.” Mickey tossed the gigantic white hat to the side. “And you can't make me.” He knew that today was special and he should look his best, but he had his limits. Plus, he was sure the special person of the day wasn't going to mind. “We're gunna be late if you keep this up!” The sun hadn't risen yet, but everyone in the Sun Kingdom was already awake and ready for the day.

Horace grunted as he picked up the discarded hat. “Forgive me for trying to make you look presentable! It's a wedding. Everyone's expecting you to be formal.”

“Nobody's going to be looking at me, I promise you that.” He smoothed down his white achkan. A long time ago, he didn't like wearing white, but now he enjoyed how it looked. An idea came to him as he began to head out. “Why don't you wear the hat? I bet it'll look better on you anyway.”

Horace halted, giving this some thought before putting the hat on. “Hm. You may be right! And it fits better too.”

It was amazing what could be accomplished with actual communication instead of constant bickering. Mickey offered his tutor a thumbs up before making a run for it – Horace shouted after him. “Don't run, you'll dirty your clothes!” - which made Mickey slow down before leaving the Sun palace. He didn't think he'd ever get used to the sight of his Kingdom with missing and destroyed buildings due to the flood. Recovery was a steady process, but aid from the Moon Kingdom was helping by leaps and bounds. They had even brought over new material to build homes with, though it was taking the Suns a while to master them.

Now as Mickey went through his Kingdom, he didn't run through it while jumping to and fro. He took his time to appreciate what he had, smiling and waving to his people who had taken a break from reconstruction. A wedding wasn't a day for work, although there were exceptions. For Pete's part in things, he had been banished from the Moon Kingdom and sentenced to a year of hard labor in the Sun Kingdom for every finger the Queen lost – it had turned out to be six. Peg had been put in charge to make sure he never slacked off, but also to make sure he would rest when he had to. Despite the occasional thanks he received, he still grumbled and growled with every heavy lift. It was a strange process for Pete, feeling both frustrated at the labor yet satisfied at what could accomplished with his own two hands. Besides, it was better than the Beagles, who were only let out of the dungeons to clean up the stables and by now, they'd never be rid of the smell.

Panchito's bar – now a mismanaged chapel of sorts – would host the happy occasion, but Mickey wasn't heading there right away. He had to pick up some extra guests at the Forbidden Forest, now simply called the forest.

The flood had knocked over many trees, but it'd also given the Kingdoms the idea to create a paved pathway between the two lands. Mickey smoothed down his clothes again, wanting to look nice for his little lady. He couldn't wait to see how she dressed up for this momentous day. As he stood in front of the forest, he saw that he was right on time – a purple horse drawn carriage began to slow, and Donald, the driver, waved before slowing the horses down. Mickey eagerly opened the door, and that's when his father fell on top of him with a loud THUD.

“Pa!” Mickey yelled, trying to push off his father without further ruining his clothes. “What do you think you're - Don't tell me you did the dying bit on the way here!”

Solaris sat up, the hood on his brown robe falling off as he did so, revealing a large bump on the head. “I tell you, the Queen has no mercy for those on their death beds. Or death carriages.”

Despite having lost many of her fingers, Queen Lune could still give a good thwack on the head if needed. She was next to exit the carriage, the Moon Talisman now a hanging pendant around her neck. “I warned him what would happen if he pulled that for a third time. At least he didn't do it during our negotiations.”

“I'm not meant to die during such things,” Solaris said as he stood up. “That would be far too boring!”

Mickey was ready to apologize a thousand times for his father's...everything, when Minnie stepped out of the carriage. Even though Mickey was expecting her to be a knock-out, he was still predictably floored by her silky violet dress and the way it curved around her ankles. Her jewelry and make-up were impeccable, but it was one thing above all else that floored him. “Y-You cut your hair!”

“Do you like it?” Minnie's long locks of white now graced her shoulders, and nothing more. Little by little, she had made decisions for her life without caring what others thought of them- especially if it didn't really affect them. The first of these decisions was to get rid of the hair that often weighed her down or got in the way. She had hoped Mickey would like it, but would also be satisfied if he didn't. She didn't need to make everyone happy and she liked how it looked. “It makes my whole morning routine so much easier!”

“Can you really call this morning, when the sun isn't up?” The Queen was fighting back a yawn. “Must Sun weddings be so ridiculously early?”

“If you want to make peace with us, you have to keep up with our traditions,” the King quipped. “We have the Sun be the first witness in a wedded union.”

“Very well, then let us be off.” The Queen began to walk on ahead, but made sure to glance behind her first. “By the way...if you are thinking of having grandbabies, you must name one after your dearly departed father.”

Solaris laughed so hard that Mickey and Minnie's embarrassed apologies to each other couldn't be heard. Once the parents were far enough away, Mickey exhaled deeply. “If your Ma starts pretending to die, I give up.”

“At least they're getting along,” Minnie countered, taking Mickey's hand. “And you should put on a happy face, considering we're going to your best friend's wedding. I know Goofy and Millie will be very happy together.”

At this, Mickey brightened and their hands swung together as they walked. “Of course they will be. He's gunna smile so much that he'll be too exhausted to do it when our big day comes.”

“There's still plenty of time before that.” While it had been deliciously tempting to join the wedding bandwagon, they were first and foremost a prince and princess. There was still lots of work to do between the two different kingdoms and a magical fairytale wedding wasn't going to solve broken homes, broken promises, and years of distrust. So the two of them decided to hold off on their own wedding until they were officially crowned King and Queen by their parents, though that would be years in the future.

“Plenty of time to get to know each other too,” Mickey quipped, squeezing Minnie's hand. “There's still stuff I don't know about you and your Kingdom. Funny, huh?” He leaned in for an affectionate nose nuzzle. “Feels like we've known each other forever, but there's so much left to learn.”

“And I don't mind taking our time.” Minnie touched her neck where her new necklace hung. Hers was half of the Sun, which matched the empty half of the Moon hanging off of Mickey's neck. “You still haven't told me how to dance the samba!”

“Well, maybe when the dancing floor is open and your Ma ain't lookin', I can show you.” He wiggled his eyebrows before daring to go in for a kiss. Minnie giggled, but she was the one to insist on walking again so they wouldn't lose their parents.

While the war itself was over, prejudices against those that were different would never truly die out. The nature of people was complicated and to have a widespread acceptance wasn't something easily done. In the future, there would be fights and battles again, but there would also be peace and unity again. History would be full of good times and bad. Time would move on.

As the wedding began, Queen Lune managed to suppress any further yawns, King Solaris prepared his long speech for the happy couple, and a new day began for everyone.

Mickey and Minnie prepared themselves to take more steps toward the future they created with their own hands, their necklaces swaying back and forth, glinting at each other as dawn broke.

**The End**


End file.
